File 3846/1910 'Mesopotamia: Baghdad affairs. Miscellaneous.' [‎146v] (301/536)

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Annexure No. 1.
Purport of a Telegram from the 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. , Bagdad, to the Government of
India in the Foreign Department, dated August 16, 1910.
The Yali of Bagdad is believed to have the intention of continuing, through the
compound of the British 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. , a public street which is now in process of con
struction. The buildings of this 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. would thereby be separated from one
another, and the subdivision of the property would much diminish its market value;
and it would, besides, be an act of wantonness on the vali’s part, xklready there exists
a road which could be widened. This apprehended action of the local Government
would be manifestly malicious in intention, and carried through with a political
purpose. The consul-general wired to the Ambassador, whose reply was that he
would see to the matter in Constantinople, and deprecate the alleged intention to
interfere with 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. grounds. The consul-general is strongly of opinion that
our credit in Bagdad depends upon our offering uncompromising resistance to any
such project, and requests that, if the Government of India are of that opinion, they
will immediately communicate with the British Government, as otherwise it may be
too late to do anything.
Annexure No. 2.
Purport of a Telegram from His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, Bagdad, to His
Britannic Majesty s Ambassador, Constantinople, dated August 17, 1910.
Refers to the Ambassador’s wire of the 16th August, and states that the intention
of the local authorities in the matter of the threatened encroachment on the grounds of
the British 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. is purely political and malicious. By taking steps to interfere
with 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. the local Government would show to what extent foreigners and
foreign interests are in their power. It is not a question of surrendering a portion of
the grounds to enable the municipality to carry out projected improvements, but of
yielding to the early-avowed policy of the vali of forcibly reducing the status of the
British consulate-general; also, by permitting subdivision of the grounds, a valuable
Government property would be much depreciated in value.
To deprecate interference might only embolden the Turks to carry out a project
over which they were hesitating, and the consul-general is therefore of opinion that the
case is one for absolute prohibition. Mr. Lorimer has wired to the Government of
India explaining to them the position of affairs, because they are jointly interested
with His Majesty’s Government in the Bagdad 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. . He would repeat once more
that there is no reason at all for continuing the new street farther than the place where
it will reach the wall of 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. garden.
Annexure No. 3.
Purport of a Telegram from His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador, Constantinople, to
His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General, Bagdad, dated August 17, 1910.
The Acting Grand Vizier, who is also the Minister of Justice, has assured the
Ambassador that he will permit no arbitrary encroachment on the grounds of the
British consulate-general at Bagdad. He is communicating by telegram with the vali
on the subject.
Annexure No. 4.
Purport of a Telegram, from the British 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. , Bagdad, to the Government
of India in the Foreign Department, dated August 19, 1910.
The Resident, Bagdad, refers to his telegram to the Foreign Office, Simla, dated
the 16th August, and states that the British Ambassador has received assurances that
encroachment will not be permitted. It has been noticed here that a Turkish flag,
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