'File 73/7 I (D 19) Status of Kuwait & Baghdad Railway, and Anglo-Turkish negotiations 1911' [27r] (71/631)
The record is made up of 2 volumes (334 folios). It was created in 28 Jan 1911-19 Jan 1912. It was written in English and French. The original is part of the British Library: 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. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
9
Even If it be deemed inopportune now to approacli the Turkish Govern
ment, it appears expedient to form a conception of what shape a settlement of
the Koweit question should take so that His Majesty's Government might be
ready if the question were suddenly forced upon them.
Sir E. Grey would suggest that with a view to such a settlement (which
would only be acceptable as part of an arrangement for British participation
in the Baghdad Railway), His Majesty's Government might recognize the
Turkish suzerainty while stipulating for a full measure of home-rule in the
administrations especially as regards customs matters, as to which the Sheikh
is particularly jealous of foreign interference. The question might also be
considered whether provision be made for the payment of a fixed tribute by the
Sheikh to Turkey, for which he might possibly recoup himself by certain port
dues on trough traffic :—the continuance of the tribute to be subject to the
equitable treatment of the Sheikh in regard to his date groves in the Vilayet of
Bussorah. As the Sheikh has already virtually admitted Turkish suzerainty
by accepting the title of Kaimakam, Sir E. Grey does not anticipate that there
would be serious difficulties in inducing him to assent to such an arrangement,
especially as he is most anxious that the terminus of the railway should be at
Koweit. A settlement of the question under discussion would probably only be
satisfactory if it involved the control of the port by His Majesty's Government
and the Sheikh, thus excluding Turkish or German interference at Koweit in
internal matters.
It is not possible to estimate what leverage, if any, the situation of Koweit
gives Great Britain on the Baghdad Bailway question until it is decided
whether some such concessions as are above indicated can safely be made, but
the main lever for the settlement of these questions will consist in the power of
His Majesty,® Government to refuse their consent to the proposed increase of
4 per cent, in the Turkish Customs and to the continuation of the 3 per cent-
increase beyond the month of April 1914i when the consent already given to
that increase will expire.
Sir E. Grey will be obliged if the Earl of Crewe will favour him with his
observations on the points raised in this letter,
I am, eto. s
LOUIS MALLET.
[Meceived on the 12th February 1911 with Political Secretary's letter No, 4>
dated the 27th January 1911.)
EASTERN DEPARTMENT.
SECRET SERIES.
["24Tir J anuaey].
S ection 1.
Foreign Office,
24th January 1911.
No. 1.
Sm Edward Grey to Sir G. Lowthbr.
[28S3]
(No. 25, Secret.)
Sir,
The Turkish Ambassador enquired on the 20th instant of Sir A. N icolson
whether you had been furnished with instructions to negotiate %\iih the Turkish
Government about the Baghdad Railway,
Sir A. Nicolson told Tewfik
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
that His Majesty's Embassy at
Constantinople had been informed that if Eifaat
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
returned to that ques
tion His Majesty's Government would be happy to hear his views and to
examine any project which he might communicate u) them. \ our Excellency
2767 F. D.
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence, memorandums, and newspaper cuttings relating to a proposed Baghdad to Basra railway, an extension of the German Berlin to Baghdad Railway. Much of the correspondence has been forwarded to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. by the Foreign Department of the Government of India and is between Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Francis Bertie, British Ambassador to France, Louis Mallet, Assistant Under-secretary of State for Near and Middle Eastern Affairs, Charles Marling, British Ambassador to Persia, Arthur Nicolson, Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Henry Babington Smith, President of the National Bank of Turkey, Gerard Lowther, British Ambassador to Constantinople, Rifaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Edgar Speyer, railway financier, George Buchanan, British Ambassador to Russia, Edward Goschen, British Ambassador to Berlin, Henry Cumberbatch, British Consul General in Turkey, George Barclay, British Minister to Persia, the Board of Trade, and William Graham Greene, Permanent Secretary to the Board of Admiralty. There is also correspondence between Percy Cox, Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. at Bushire, Rear-Admiral Edmond Slade, Stuart Knox, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain, and William Shakespear, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Kuwait.
The volume covers the discussions prior to formal negotiations between Britain and the Ottoman Turks brought about by the Baghdad Railway and its proposed extension to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . The issues and subjects involved are:
- the proposed route of the railway;
- control and ownership of the section between Baghdad and Basra;
- location of the terminus, and who will control it, including Slade's report (ff. 64-74) on the suitability of Basra;
- a proposed increase to customs duty in the region;
- irrigation of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers;
- the contract to transport rail materials by the rivers;
- the status of Kuwait, particularly regarding Turkish and British suzerainty and influence.
Throughout the volume there are newspaper cuttings from English periodicals that relate to the Baghdad Railway and negotiations around it.
Folio 47 is a rough sketch map of the peninsula Ras Tanurah. Folio 230 is a fold-out map of the proposed route of the railway and irrigation of the rivers.
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes (334 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged chronologically. At the beginning (folios 2-5) is a subject index. It is in no particular order and organised under a few broad headings. The numbers refer to folio numbers of the secondary, earlier sequence.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The file consists of two volumes (parts one and two) and the foliation runs through both. The main foliation sequence commences at the title page of part one and terminates at the fifth folio from the back of part two; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and can be predominantly found in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A second foliation sequence runs between ff. 8-291A; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence. There are the following irregularities: 7 and 7A; 13 and 13A; 15 and 15A; 16, 16A and 16B; 17 and 17A; 18, 18A and 18B; 20, 20A and 20B; 21, 21A and 21B; 52, 52A, 52B, 52C; 53, 53A, 53B and 53C; 54, 54A, 54B and 54C; 55, 55A and 55B; 56, 56A and 56B; 57 and 57A; 290 and 290A.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/610
- Title
- 'File 73/7 I (D 19) Status of Kuwait & Baghdad Railway, and Anglo-Turkish negotiations 1911'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:iii-v, 1r:6v, 7ar:7av, 7r:12v, 13av, 14v, 15v, 17av, 17r, 19r:19v, 22r:37r, 38r:46v, 48r:50v, 58r:74v, 75v:84v, 87v:93v, 94v:96r, 97r:147v, iv-r:vi-v, back-i, front-a, back-a, spine-a, edge-a, head-a, tail-a, front-a-i, vii-r:ix-v, 148r:229v, 231r:289v, 291v:294v, x-r:xiii-v, back-a-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence