'File 73/7 II (D 22) Status of Koweit [Kuwait] - Baghdad railway, Anglo Turkish negotiations' [‎192r] (389/540)

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should participate in the Baghdad-Gulf section was one which concerned us alone.
She would participate if we wished her to do so, but she did not regard it as her
affair."
Russia. —Sir E. Grey to Sir G. Buchanan, No. 105, of the 10th April 1911.—
Count BenckendorfE said that " the Russian desire was to help us, and
therefore their proposal \i.e., to participate ] would not hold if the question was
one between us and Germany alone. He thought, however, that if it was ulti
mately decided to have French co-operation, Russia should come in too.''
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. has no later information than this.
Germany. —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. has not heard of any overtures to Germany on
the subject. We know only that in 1909 M. Gwinner informed Sir E. Cassel that
the Germans had no objection to Great Britain obtaining more than 50 per cent.,
and that it was from Hussein Hilmi that the opposition then came. Further, in
1911, Sir G. Lowther wrote (No. 183 of the 22nd March):—=• " Prominent Germans
here have recently been hinting that the Turks will have to accept any arrange
ment come to between Berlin and London and that we perhaps could
secure a more satisfactory arrangement by unofficial pourparlers with Germany."
He understood that the German Ambassador (Baron Marschall), who was just
going to Berlin, would speak in this sense.
To these facts, which are all that are available, must be added the considera
tion already mentioned, that it is in Germany's interest that the Gulf section should
be built, and she is therefore not likely to place unnecessary difficulties in the way
of anyone who will find the money. It is, indeed, probable that she will ask a quid
'pro quo. Whether her demand will be excessive cannot be known until it is made.
But it will doubtless be a matter for bargaining, and in any case it is a question
whether it is not better to pay Germany for something that is worth having than
Turkey for something that is not. | i
Turkey.. —The Turkish attitude may possibly be hostile. For positive in
formation we have only M. Gwinner's statement, quoted above. But it is known
that Turkey is very suspicious of British designs in Mesopotamia, and she will
doubtless prefer an international control because of the scope which it affords for
the time-honoured policy of playing off the various Powers against one another. On
the other, hand (1) it is strongly to her interest that the line should be built; (2)
Sir G. Lowther, in his despatch No. 328 of the 12th May, 1911, has given reasons
why she need not herself claim a large share; (3) she will not necessarily be worse
off if we obtain 50 per cent., than under her own proposal. She is content now ,
to ask for 25 per cent., arid our proposal will leave her to divide 50 per cent, with
Germany on the best terms she can get.
Nevertheless, let it be assumed that she will object. The considerations ad
vanced above are intended to show that no harm will result if, as a consequence,
the Baghdad-Basrah Railway question is withdrawn from the present negotiations.
It is submitted that His Majesty's Government would have a very good case for
withdrawing it. Their own attempts to find a solution will three times have failed,
and it is not reasonable to expect them to go on making overtures to Turkey in
definitely. The Turkish representatives, at the private conferences which preced
ed the official reply, made a great point of the fact that it was to oblige Great
Britain that Turkey had induced the Germans to renounce their rights. It will
now be for His Majesty's Government, while expressing thanks for this sign of good
will, to regret that they do not see their way to accept the concession on the terms
on which it is offered. We should say that we have shown our own good-will by
making three attempts to meet the Turkish wishes ; we will give a still further
proof of it now by withdrawing all objections to the construction of the railway
as far as Basrah, by anyone to whom they choose to entrust it, on the s ole condi
tion that they conclude with us a thoroughly satisfactory settlement on the Shatt-
el-Arab and in the Gulf (including Mohammerah), in return for which we will J
further give them the increase of customs duties. It is submitted that we
may then fairly expect a full satisfaction of the demands made in the memoran
dum of the 29th July, 1911, without the necessity of contemplating any further
concessions.