'File 73/7 II (D 22) Status of Koweit [Kuwait] - Baghdad railway, Anglo Turkish negotiations' [‎238r] (483/540)

From Muslemieh westwards the line has been laid up to some little way be
yond Catma, a distance of over 40 kilm. in all.
The expulsion of over 500 Italian engineers and workmen seems to have
seriously affected the construction of the line. Some Greek engineers and
mechanics were afterwards brought over to carry on the work, which has been
rapidly pushed forward. Most of the manual labour, however, since the expulsion
of the Italians, appears to have been performed by native gangs of labourers,
and the rails in various places between Muslemieh and the Sajur have been
unevenly laid, viz., one rail higher or lower than the others This may prove a
serious drawback to heavy trains travelling at any speed.
I understand that no money has been paid for the expropriation of the lands
in the Sajur-Jerablus region, saving, perhaps, certain of those which are actually
under cultivation. Much dissatisfaction has been caused at Aleppo by the low
prices paid by the company, backed by the Government, for the expropriation
of private property, and at Alexandretta it is said that much real injustice has
been done to landowners in this way.
The company began, and have carried on, the work regardless, apparently,
of expense, and huge sums have been expended in connection with the work. An
enormous quantity of costly material has been imported, a large staff of highly-
paid German engineers, craftsmen, officials, and native clerks are employed, and
the wages paid to the labourers on the line have been quite abnormal. The com
pany, nevertheless, have acquired an unenviable reputation through all this dis
trict. Various contractors for the construction of sections of the line have aban
doned their contracts with great pecuniary loss. A French contractor, who had
invested his whole capital in the work, died recently at Aleppo, leaving a widow
nearly penniless with a claim of over 2,000/. against Ihe company. Another
French subject, an engineer, who threw up work in the Far East to obtain employ
ment on the Baghdad Railway, spent his entire capital of 1,000/. in attempting to
fulfil a contract with the company, but owing to a rise in labourers' wages, and
to other causes, he did not succeed, and is now prosecuting the company in the
Ottoman law court for the recovery of the 1,000/. The company have hitherto
refused to modify any contract entered into, whatever might be the circumstances
tending to render its fulfilment difficult or impossible. Contractors have, on
more than one occasion, tried to make their losses good by paying their native
labourers less than the daily wage agreed upon, thus provoking tumult and outcry.
Some time ago three Kurdish labourers were wounded at Aleppo by Circassian
guards in the company's employ, and two others were injured at Jerablus by
guards in a scuffle arising from the Kurds attempting to mob the paymaster, who
paid them less than their stipulated wage. The native workmen in the company's
employ at Jerablus show themselves eager to find employment with the English
men now carrying on excavations on the Jerablus mound, who employ several
hundred men, and are greatly respected by the natives for their fair dealing and
tact. The Germans, unfortunately, have incurred the distrust and dislike of
the natives, whom they treat with no very rigid justice and with scant considera
tion. Many of the Italian workmen and mechanics, on the eve of their departure
from Aleppo, openly expressed their relief at being compelled to sever connection
with the Baghdad Railway Company.
The inauguration of the construction of the port at Alexandretta took place
on the 10th ultimo, the local authorities, civil and military, being present at the
ceremony.
I have, etc.,
R. A. FONTANA.
(Copy sent informally to the Army Department for transmission to the
Division of the Chief of the Staff.)
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