File 3142/1903 'Hedjaz Railway' [‎27r] (60/488)

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[This Document is the Property of
EASTERN SANITARY REFORMS.
s Government.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
W.R19S0 ^
^ X-J [November 19.]
v 9/> . kqS
[40389]
No. 1.
Consul Monahan to Sir G. Lowther*—(Received at Foreign Office, November 19.)
(No. 52.)
gj r> Jeddah, November 4, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to submit the following information as to the probable extent
to which pilgrims will use the Medina-Damascus Railway for their return journey :—
At the end of last pilgrimage the railhead was two days’ journey to the north of
Medina ; 13,000 or 14,000 pilgrims appear to have used it for their return journey.
Of these, about 10,000 were Turkish subjects, the great majority of them Syrians and
Kurds, for whom the railway is much the shortest and quickest way home. Of the
rest, about 2,000 or less were Russian subjects, and only 600 or 700, as 1 am informed,
were Egyptians, the balance being miscellaneous, including some Indians for Jerusalem
and Damascus, and some Persians. The Egyptian pilgrims numbered in all over
18,000, and it is certain that none, or very few, of the Egyptians would have gone
home by the railway if the country to the west of Medina had not been so exceptionally
unsafe.
There is no sufficient reason to suppose that any Egyptians will use the railway
after the pilgrimage which is now beginning, unless the present Egyptian rules of
return tickets and quarantining at Tor are rescinded. There is not expected to be so
large a pilgrimage of Ottoman subjects as the last. The Syrians and Kurds will of
course return by the railway, especially as it has nowreached Medina itself. Aconsiderable
number of Russian pilgrims will perhaps return by the railway, as they are not
obliged to take return tickets from Russian ports to the Hejaz ; but, on the other hand,
(1) most of the Russian pilgrims will probably take return tickets from Russian ports ;
(2) the railway is disadvantageous, taking six days from Medina to Hejaz, Haifa, or
Beirout, the fares being, first class, 750 piastres (110 piastres = H-) > third class (there
being no second), 375 piastres, only 50 kilog. baggage allowed free, and very heavy
rates charged for excess baggage, and food and water being expensive, and sometimes
difficult to get, whereas the journey to Zambo from Medina is only five days at (in this
now commencing pilgrimage) 60 piastres per camel, able to cany two pilgrims with
^ In vfew of the a^ove considerations, it seems improbable that more than 10,000
pilgrims will use the railway for the return journey if the Egyptian rules above
referred to remain in force, and if they are rescinded it will only, I presume, be in a
small proportion of the Egyptians that curiosity and other motives will prevail over the
consideration of expense.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. H. MONAHAN.
* Copies sent to the Local Government Board and to His Majesty’s Representatives at Paris, No. 213,
Commercial, and Cairo, No. 58, Commercial, on December 15 1908.
[2009 1]