'File 73/7 II (D 22) Status of Koweit [Kuwait] - Baghdad railway, Anglo Turkish negotiations' [‎225r] (457/540)

in
dated due before the pilotage service was rendered. We cannot report that in
our opinion this would enable dues to be levied in eren/case, because it is conceiv
able that a ship might refuse to employ a pilot in the service of the commission
or give any other opportunity for obtaining the payment of the due in advance.
If the ships were left alone, it is not likely that they would take this course
because it would not be worth their while. It is possible, however, that some
foreign Power might encourage a hostile attitude on the part of its shipping for
the purpose of forcing the Turkish Government to admit it to representation
on the commission to the same extent as Great Britain.
We do not think that this risk is very serious, and we recommend that it
should be faced. We think it is improbable that any Power would consider that
sumcient political advantage was to be obtained from adopting this course It
would certainly irritate the Porte, and it could not be carried out without iniuring
the commerce of its subjects and its shipping.
The long period during which Great Britain has provided and maintained
buoys, etc., at the mouth of the Shatt-el-Arab and the many services which she
has rendered to the cause of navigation in that district provide the Porte with a
perfectly good answer to any claim to equal participation which other Powers
may put forward, because Turkey can say, and say with truth, that owing to the
multifarious services rendered by Great Britain, she (Turkey) had ceased to be
master on her own river, and that the only way in which to secure the cessation of
the exsitmg state of things and the transfer of these services to the commission
was by appointing a British subject as a member of the commission.
The only other policy would be for no dues to be levied at all, and for the
entire expenses of the commission to be borne either bv the Porte alone or by the
Porte and Great Britain jointly. Either proposal would, in our opinion, be opea
to objection, nor would either be likely to meet with favour from the Ottoman Gov
ernment. Although we are reluctant to recommend a departure from established
British policy in respect of financial aid to works in foreign territory, we yet ven
ture to think that, if it should appear that the imposition of dues is impracti
cable, the importance of maintaining the Shatt-el-Arab and its approaches
m good navigable condition is so great that, if the Porte could be induced to accept
an arrangement under which the expenses of the commission would be borne by
the two Powers jointly, the policy of an annual grant for this purpose from the
British and Indian Exchequers merits the careful consideration of the Cabinet.
On one point we think it is desirable that matters should be left open for an
understanding with Germany. Under the original Baghdad Railway concession
the railway company have the right to construct wharves, etc., at Basrah. It may
eventually turn out to be better for the commission not to attempt to construct
wharves at that port, so as to leave the field clear for the new railway company to
be formed for the Baghdad-Gulf section. It would be an advantage to the [com
mission financially, as it will have plenty of work elsewhere for all the funds at its
disposal, and it might form the basis of an understanding under, which Germany
would not oppose the work of the commission. ^
Dealing now with the changes made in the original draft, in the order of the
several articles, we have the honour to submit the following observations
Article i—The word "remain" has been substituted for "be" to em
phasise the claim that the river is open already.
Article 5.—The words " and the surveyor " have been added to meet the
wish expressed by the Admiralty that a British naval officer should be associated
with the commission.
Article 6 (a). —The words " and as the funds at its disposal will allow " have
been struck out, as it is feared that they might be made a pretext for the com
mission to evade carrying out necessary works.
Article 6 (^.—Difficulties may occur as to the control of pilotage by the
commission, but in practice we do not think they should be insurmountable.
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