Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎17r] (33/544)

3
o
Navigation Con
cession in
Mesopotamia.
American Relief
Mission to Persia.
A better alternative would be to press Bicharakof to go to
bnzeli and, with the Caspian fleet in view, to ask General Marshall
to send to General Dunsterville naval ratings from the Tigris for
employment in the Caspian when Enzeli was in friendly hands.
It was decided—
I hat the War Office should send instructions in this sense.
In this connection, the Director of Military Intelligence read a
telegram he had just received from General Marshall concerning
demands made by Colonel Bicharakof for 5,000,000 krans at once,
and an equal sum after he had disposed of the Jangalis, or
10,000,000 krans to betake himself to the Caucasus. General
Marshall recommended the initial 5,000,000.
After discussion concerning the fitness and cogency of sub
mitting to manifest blackmail, it was decided—
1 hat Sir C. Marling should be consulted by the Foreign Office,
and that, pending his advice, a decision should be deferred.
5. With reference to Minute 5 of the 5th Meeting, Sir T. Holder-
ness reported that a conference had been held at the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ,
attended by Sir P. Cox and Lord fnchcape. Lord Inchcape had
made it clear that he asked for nothing in the shape of a monopoly,
but had uiged that the firm of MacKay, Lynch, and Co., as registered
before the war, should be allowed to open business at once at
Baghdad. Sir P. ( ox had concurred, subject to the approval of the
military authorities in Mesopotamia ; he had pointed out, however,
that Messrs. Lynch s firm were already doing business at Baghdad
in their individual capacity, and he asked whether their assent had
been obtained to the proposed resuscitation of their joint Company
(MacKay, Lynch, and Co.) which had been in abeyance since the
outbreak of the war. Lord Inchcape undertook to approach
Messrs. Lynch at once, and to communicate the result to the India
Office.
[N.B. A joint application has since been received, signed
by Lord Inchcape and Mr. J. F. Lynch, seeking permission for
the firm of MacKay, Lynch, and Co., to open at Baghdad.]
G. The Chairman drew attention to E.C.-217, a telegram from
Lord Reading intimating that the United States Government, which
had been asked by the Persian Government for a loan of
2,000,000 dollars, had decided to make a free gift of this sum, and
had apparently the intention of entrusting its distribution to
missionaries.
Mr. Oliphant said that this telegram was a “ bolt from the
blue.” An American Relief Mission had been suggested before and
deprecated by us on Sir C. Marling’s advice, but nothing had led us
to expect this development.
It was proposed to ask Sir C. Marling to try and influence the
distribution in the most appropriate manner.
2, Whitehall Gardens, S. IV .,
May 3, 1918.