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'File 73/7 I (D 19) Status of Kuwait & Baghdad Railway, and Anglo-Turkish negotiations 1911' [159r] (351/631)
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.
[This Docmmnt is the Property of His B ritamaic Majtaty's Sovermnent]
EASTERN DEPARTMENT. rMarch 20.]
SECBET SERIES. giICTI0N 2
[10016] No. 1.
Sir O. Lowther to Sir Edward Orey.—(Eeceived March 20.)
(No. 169.)
Pera, March 15, 1911.
W1 LH reference to my despatch No. 156 of the 10th instant, I have the honour to
transmit to yon herewith a translation of an article by Hussein Diahid in the " Tanin "
on the Bagdad Railway.
J he
writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
says that lurkey will pay no attention to the claim over Koweit, made
by the " Times " on behalf of England, and states that Turkey does not need Koweit
harbour in order to build the Bagdad Railway and to carry the line to the shores of
the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. If England raises difficulties against the construction of the
terminus at Koweit, that will not prevent the construction of the line.
The " Times, he goes on to say, seems to think that the invitation to England to
enter into negotiations was dictated by fear or necessity. This is far from being the
case, and Turkey will expect some return for the courtesy and friendship shown to
England. But if Turkish friendship is rejected, then Turkey need no longer consider
British commercial interests. In any case, it cannot be believed that England will be
guilty of such injustice, in spite of the advice of the " Times," as to use her consent to
the increase of the customs as a weapon in the Bagdad Railway question.
In connection with this last point, I enclose an article from the " Jeune Turc," by
a German Socialist student of economy, which contends that the increase of the customs
dues to 15 per cent, ad valorem will be an economic blunder on the part of Turkey.
There is no doubt that there is considerable logic in this point of view, as an
increase of the customs duty to 15 per cent, on such primary necessities as, e .g., sugar,
would constitute an ail but unbearable burden on the lower classes, whose general
standard of living is very low.
I have, &c.
GERARD LOWTHER.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Extract from the " Tanin " of March 14, 1911.
(Translation.)
The Bagdad Railway.
WE are always talking about this question, but we consider it our duty, at the
risk of boring our readers, to follow every phase of the question, on account of its
importance with, regard both to Irak and to our foreign policy.
Our prophecy that the Bagdad Railway question would give rise to a dispute
between the German and British presses has not been falsified. The " Times " article
we reproduce to-day is written with the heat—nay, the bitterness—caused by this
dispute. Let the English papers and the German press quarrel as much as they like,
but it should not be forgotten when the English press is replying to the German
papers, which are walking hand in hand with Ottoman interests on this question, that
contempt for the Ottoman Government and mdifference to Ottoman public opinion
will cause sorrow^ and astonishment in Turkey.
It is not our fault that the German papers have said that England can take part
in the negotiations as conciliator, so why should the English press talk in a manner
wounding to our amour-jyropre, our rights, and our feelings ? The English, German,
and French, or any other press must understand that to-day the Ottomans have a
[1932 w—2] B
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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'File 73/7 I (D 19) Status of Kuwait & Baghdad Railway, and Anglo-Turkish negotiations 1911' [159r] (351/631), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/610, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023839675.0x000091> [accessed 26 November 2024]
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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