'File 73/7 V (D 38) Status of Kuwait, Anglo-Turkish Convention' [‎24r] (60/216)

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considerably over 24 feet in the river ; in the second place, a;; the depth on the bai
of the Shatt-el-Arab is, as explained in Sir E. Grey's memorandum of the 23rd
August, only 11 feet at low water springs, a depth of 24 feet over the bar cannot be
attained except at high-water springs, and, even so, such a depth (24 feet) must be
regarded as a desirable consummation rather than as an assured possibility.
For this reason His Majesty's Government consider that it would serve no use
ful purpose, and would indeed formulate an impossible condition, if a more posi
tive or unqualified wording than that contained in the British counter-draft were
adopted.
A paragraph has been added to article 5 in order to avoid a conflict of juris
diction which might otherwise arise.
There is no change in article 6.
A paragraph has been added to article 7 so as to render it more complete.
Article 8 has been modified so as to be more in accord with the British counter-
draft of the 18th September of the Anglo-German agreement. The final para
graph has been added after consultation with Lord Inchcape, the concessionnaire
for the Kiver Navigation Company under the Turkish declaracion of the 29th July,
1913. His Lordship is fully prepared to provide, on terms to be mutually agreed, all
reasonable facilities to the Baghdad Railway Company; but His Majesty's Govern
ment, having regard especially to section 3 of the proposals made on the 7th May,
1913,'would be unable to assent to the grant outside Baghdad of such rights as are
contemplated in article 8 of the German counter-draft communicated on the 14th
November.
Foreign Office, November 25, 19IS.
Enclosure in No 1,
(No. 4.)
Ofjicicd British Draft of proposed Agreement between Baghdad Railway Company and
Ottoman Government.
(November 25, 1913.)
I.
Bassora est fixe comme point terminus de la ligne du Chemin de Fer de Baghdad.
La Societe du Chemin de Fer de Baghdad renonce a la concession de la con
struction et 1'exploitation de I'embranchement partant de Bassora (Zobeir) ou de
tout autre point de la ligne et aboutissant a un point du Golfe 1 eisiojue (article 1 ,
No 4 de la Convention du 20 fevrier (5 mars), 1903), ainsi qu'au droit de construire
et exploiter un port a un point situe au Golfe Persique (article 23 de cette meme
Convention).
II.
Le Societe du Chemin de Fer de Baghdad oonfirme qu'elle continuera comme par
le Dasse a appliquer a toutes les marchandises d'une categorie identique qui pour-
ront lui etre presentees en vue d'etre transportfcs par chemin de fer, entre les memea
stations et dans les memes conditions, un regime pa faitement egal, tant pour le
tarif en vigueur qui leur sera impose que pour les facmtes dont elles jouuont,
quels que soient respectivement:
[a) Le pays d'origine des marchandises importees dans I'Empire ottoman ;
{h) Le pays de destination des marchandises exportees de I'Empire ottoman ;
(c) Les pays d'origine et de destination des marchandises en transit par
TEmpire ottoman; et
(d) Le pavilion et 1'armateur des batiments sur lesquels les marchandises
sont importees ou exportees par les ports ottomans.
La Societe du Chemin du Fer de Baghdad consent, en outre, a ce que les delais
fixes par 1'article 21 de son Cahier des Charges, touchant les avis prealables a donner