Papers of the Interdepartmental Conference on Middle Eastern Affairs [‎112r] (223/290)

TThia Docameat cb the Pro^stty af Hk Britamuc Majesty s Goyernment.}
Printed for the Foreign Office. March 1920.
SECRET.
[I.D.C.E. (Sub-Committee) Minutes.]
FOREIGN OFFICE.
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE EASTERN AI FAIRS.
Sub-Committee on Railway Transport in Mesopotamia.
Minutes of a Meeting held at the Foreign Office on Friday, February 27, 1920,
at 3 p.m.
Present:
Sir John Tilley, K.C.M.G., Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
(in the Chair).
Sir Arthur Hirtzel, K.C.B., Assistant | Major-General P. S. May, C.B., C.M.G.,
i5 - ~ . t V D.S.O., Director of Movements, War
Office.
Under-Secretary of State, 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. .
Mr. J. E. Shuckburgh, C.B., 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. .
Mr. C. C. Garbett, C.I.E., 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. .
Mr. E. W. H. Millar, Treasury.
Major P. C. S. Hobart, D.S.O., O.B.E.,
M.C., War Office (General Staff).
Colonel A. S. Redman, C.B., War Office
(Department of Director of Railways).
Captain Griffin, O.B.E., War Office
(Department of Director of Movements).
Captain Hough, Department of Overseas
Trade.
Air. C. M. Patrick, Foreign Office (Acting Secretary).
The Chairman observed that the questions for consideration weie wheihei the
railways -wereTcTbe transferred to the Civil Administration ; whe her tins should be
iffectecl on the 1st April, and in what form ; how the ra.lwavs should
'ontrol over them should he exercised from this countiy, and , ,
was to te a permanent one or if the railways should he transferred to a company at
some later date. He considered that the question whet er esopo amia w
ultimately comprise the same area as was now occupied by us did not attect .
principles involved in the present questions.
Sir Arthur Hirlzel said that he understood that the railways could be expected
td be self-supporting if the rolling-stock that had been asked tor were foithcommg.
The lnd!l<X d "they took ^railways over, of course desired that uudertaking
should not involve financial loss. Something between 7 1°^ I'SLd to fv L the
now urgently required. _ He believed that the railways might be expected to pay to
necessary rolling-stock in one year. . r- rm control
With regard to the transport of troops, he agreed that some 1 —
was desirable, but he considered that Colonel Wilson should be consulted first on
this point.
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