File 3846/1910 'Mesopotamia: Baghdad affairs. Miscellaneous.' [‎258r] (524/536)

C-440 F.D.
the ship were obliged to disembark at Jeddah. Sensational versions of the affair
are current at Baghdad and have appeared in the local papers.
(3) M. Orloff, the successor of M. Maschkow, announced to his colleagues by
letter on his arrival that he had come to carry on the duties of Russian Consul-
General at Baghdad. It is observed that on his visiting card, which has
“ Baghdad ” in one corner and must therefore have been printed for use here, he
describes himself as Consul only. He has made some enquiries from me as to
the manner in which certain expenses of the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. are apportioned between
Government and myself ; and, from these and other indications, I am inclined
to think that a modification of the Russian Consular establishment here is under
consideration.
(4) It was reported to me on fairly good authority, about the beginning of
April, that M. Orloff had addressed letters to Saiyid Muhammad Kazim (Tabata-
bayi), Mulla Kazim (Khurasani), and Shaikh ’ Abdullah (Mazandarani), the lead*
ing Mujtahids of Najaf, stating that he had heard them praised, even before his
arrival at Baghdad, in a manner which inclined him to be their friend; that he
therefore informed them that a Russian Consul would presently be sent to Najaf
to protect Russian pilgrims at that place; and that this Consul would always be
ready to render the Mujtahids such services as were in his power. The Tabata-
bayi, it is said, merely acknowledged the receipt of this letter, while the Khura*
sani and Mazandarani replied, in somewhat effusive terms, which they now regret.
On my asking M. Orloff, some time after this, whether he was aware of any
intention on the part of his Government to establish a Consular post at Najaf, he
replied that he had no knowledge of any such intention. He added that if any
existed, he thought it would certainly have been mentioned to him at St. Peters
burg or Constantinople, both of which he had lately visited.
About the middle of April Mehdi Quli, the Russian Consular Agent at Kazi-
main, arrived at Karbala; and the next day he left for Najaf. At Najaf he took
a house, and a week later he was followed there by his family, whom he had
brought with him to Karbala. He remained at Najaf a month or six weeks and
then returned to Kazimain. The explanation given by him of his journey was
that the air of Najaf had been recommended for one of his daughters who was ill.
In view of the communications constantly going on between the Mujtahids
of Najaf and political leaders in Persia, as described in Section VI above, the value
to Russia at the present time of an agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. at Najaf is apparent. Nevertheless,
according to the latest information, it is possible that M. OrlofCs letters were
merely formal and said nothing about a Najaf agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , and that the Kazimain
Agent's journey was connected with his daughter's illness.
(5) M. Rouet, the French Consul at Baghdad, left overland for Europe on the
22nd May. He has been succeeded by M. Wiet from Bairut, whose father-in-law
is Mr. Catoni, His Britannic Majesty's Vice-Consul at Alexandretta. M. Route
who met with a serious carriage accident last autumn, was in a somewhat feeble
state of health when he left Baghdad; and it is a satisfaction to his friends to
know that he is not unaccompanied on the journey.
(6) M. Asfar, the Spanish Consul at Baghdad, lately had a quarrel with the
Commandant of Gendarmerie in consequence of the failure of some Dhabitiyahs
at one of the city police posts to salute him as he passed. It is understood that M.
Asfar was informed by the Turkish local authorities that no Consul is entitled to
salutes, as of right, except when in uniform.
M. Asfar, who is a native of Baghdad and a Turkish subject, after this wrote
to a local Arabic newspaper, complaining of the attitude of the Commandant and
indicating that Turkish officials ought to be more polite if they wished ever to see
the capitulations abolished. His letter only tvoted a chorus of ridicule in the
Baghdad press.
Meanwhile the question of salutes had been referred to Constantinople; and
the result is understood to be an order from the Minister of V ar, to the effect
that, in future, Consuls are to be saluted when in uniform and are not to be saluted
when in plain clothes.