'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918' [‎84] (93/568)

84 HISTORY
and was surveyed. But there were many areas of disputed land on
which no final settlement was reached. Provisional agreements
kept matters in suspense without too great inconvenience, until the
Young Turks began encroachments in Arabistan and tmyards Urmia.
Then Great Britain and Russia again intervened. The boundary
between Turkey and the territory of the Sheikh of Mohammareh
was fixed by an agreement of July 29, 1913. A Protocol, signed
at Constantinople on Nov. 4 (17), 1913, by Great Britain Russia
Turkey, and Persia, laid down the course to be followed by the
frontier from the Gulf to Ararat, leaving the settlement of details at
many points to a Delimitation Commission. This Commission, which
comprised representatives of all four Powers, completed its work m
the first eight months of 1914. The frontier was surveyed the details
of its course were settled, and it was marked out with boundary-
Pll The interests of Great Britain in Mesopotamia had grown up
before the revival of the authority of the central Turkifeli Govern
ment. A British Resident was first appointed to Baghdad at the
end of the eighteenth century. These interests were partly com
mercial, partly political. Great Britain established and maintained
order and security in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , which she cleared of slavers
and pirates, policed, and charted, and in protecting her commerce
she established a paramount political influence along the shores of
the Gulf and up to Baghdad. She was also concerned to guard the
interests of the large numbers of Shiah Indians who made the
pilgrimage to Kerbela and Nejef, and the British Indian Government
was trustee for a number of endowments founded by Indians at these
places. Moreover British predominance in the Gulf and in Irak
was considered necessary for the security of India against attack
from without. In the early part of the nineteenth century, before
the cutting of the Suez Canal, the possibility of establishing a regular
commercial and post route between India and England across
Mesopotamia was much discussed, and the famous expedition ot
Chesney (1835-7) was a reconnaissance made with this scheme in
view. A railway was projected which was to connect the Mediter
ranean at Alexandretta with the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. along the line ot the
Euphrates. The opening of the Suez Canal and the acquisition
by the British Government of a controlling interest in it caused the
Euphrates Valley Railway scheme to be dropped. But British com
merce continued to develop without serious competition on the bhatt
el 'Arab and lower Tigris, 1 British protection was afforded to the
1 An arrangement of 1846 gave British merchant vessels the right to navigate
the Mesopotamian rivers. The Turkish Government ignored this Convention and