File 705/1916 Pt 2 'Arab revolt: Arab reports; Sir M Sykes' reports' [‎22v] (42/450)

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The Bagdad Railway.
Information from a reliable source indicates that the railway from Bozanti to
Tarsus and from Mamuria to Islahiah is not yet in working order.
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Germany and Turkey.
An agent reports :—
1 . That Germany has recently sent 1,000 waggons to Turkey for the Bagdad
railway.
2 . That Enver Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. has been to Berlin with Halil Bey, and has mode a
commercial treaty with Germany. The Germans declared that they only
wished to interfere with Turkey commercially, not from an administrative
point of view. They also promised that at the peace conference they would
guarantee the integrity of the Ottoman Empire and insist on its right to
Egypt.
3. That the Young Turks appeared to be sure that Germany would succeed m
making an honourable peace.
The accuracy of this information is not guaranteed.
Jemal Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
An agent reports that he was informed by an official on the 1 st December that
Jemal had owing to complications in Constantinople, left that place more than a week
previously.
Nuri Bey-el-Shalaan.
Nuri Bey, an agent writes, was formerly in bad odour with the Turkish Govern
ment. Jemal, however, recently wrote him a letter, to which Nuri sent a reply. His
messenger was well received by Jemal, who gave him £ T. 100 . Nuri himself then, on
the invitation of Jemal, went to Damascus ; there a dinner was given in his honour, he
received a present of money, and, with three of his staff, was decorated, Jemal saying
that the decorations came from the Sultan.
? For Massacres.
An agent reports that all male Turks in Mersina have been provided with a Martini
rifle and 200 cartridges each, the reason for which was not known.
Dr. Lepsius.
i A Dr. Lepsius has been arrested at Potsdam, and is about, it is said, to be tried for
high treason for statements made m a lecture on the Armenian massacres which he
gave at, Berne.
Economic Condition of Constantinople.
We learn from a reliable source that the conditions of life in Constantinople
are appalling. Though a certain amount of food can be obtained by those who
have money to purchase it, the poor are starving. They would like to revolt, but dare
not do so as they are m constant dread of machine-guns, and on the least sign of
terms ^ ^ & m their ^ Germans and Turks are hardly on speaking