File 3142/1903 'Hedjaz Railway' [‎111r] (228/488)

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ASIATIC TURKEY.
[April 30.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
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Sir N. 0 Conor to Sir E. Grey.—(Received Aprit 30.)
® ir ’ Constantinople, April 21, 1906.
. 1 HAVE the honour to transmit herewith copy of a despatch from His Majesty’s
Acting Consul at Damascus, reporting on the state of the Damascus Vilayet for the
past quarter.
1 venture to draw especial attention to Mr. Edmonds’ remarks respecting the
progress which is being made in the construction of the Hedjaz Railway.
1 have, &c.
(Signed) N. R. O’CONOR.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Acting Consul Edmonds to Sir N. O’Conor.
(No. 10.)
Sir,
Damascus, April 4, 1906.
I HAVE the honour to submit herewith my General Report for the last quarter.
Besides the change of Vali and Mushir, which I have reported in my despatch No. 9
of to-day, I have to record that Riza Bey Es-Sulh, who had been Mutessarif of Kerak
since the 4th December, 1905, changed positions on the 1st February with Fend Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ,
Mutessarif of Poli, in Kastamouni. It is thought generally that the removal of Riza Bey
was due to his failure to provide supplies for the Akaba garrison.
Mgr. Meletius, Greek Orthodox Patriarch, died on the 9th February. Mgr. Athana
sius, Bishop of Homs, is acting as Patriarch pending the election of the successor of
Mgr. Meletius. It is probable that Mgr. Athanasius will be elected to the see, as he
enjoys the favour of the natives and active Russian support. He is a Russophile, who
handed over the schools in his diocese to the Russian Palestine Society some eight
years ago. The two candidates next in importance are Mgr. Gregorius, Bishop of
Tripoli, who is also a Russophile, and Mgr. Gerasimus, Bishop of Beirut.
The prospects for the grain and fruit crops are good.
General trade is normal and without fresh developments.
Trains are now running on the Hedjaz Railway as far as Mudevvera, which is
about 570 kilom. from Damascus and 110 kilom. beyond Ma’an. From Mudevvera to
Tebuk, a further distance of 127 kilom., the earthwork is nearly complete, but no rails
have as yet been laid. Surveys have been made from Tebuk as far as Akhdar, which
is about 70 kilom. from Tebuk, and 765 kilom. from Damascus. Trains have not yet
begun to run regularly between Haifa and Damascus.
The project of building a line from Amman to Salt has been abandoned, as the
phosphate deposits at Salt had been over-estimated. If, however, the Hedjaz Railway
Commission decides on building a branch to Jerusalem, this would probably pass
through Salt.
Work in connection with the Damascus electric tram, power, and light scheme has
been confined to operations at the power station in the Anti-Lebanon, and to collecting
materials. The rate of progress depends to a large extent on the attitude adopted by
the new Vali with regard to the scheme. It is improbable that trams will be running
in the next three months.
With the departure of Nazim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. the scheme for bringing good water to the
town has been dropped. It is to be hoped that the new Vali, Shukri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , will give
so necessary an improvement as much support as his predecessor.
The Mecca pilgrims began to arrive here by train on the 31st ultimo. The Mahmal
is expected in about one week.
I m Q VP 1 /VY*
(Signed) ’ W. S. EDMONDS.