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Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [11r] (21/544)
The record is made up of 1 file (272 folios). It was created in 13 Mar 1918-7 Jan 1919. It was written in English. 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 Document is the Property-of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
Printed for the W ar Cabinet. April 11)18.
SECRET.
E.C. 4th Minutes,
WAR CABINET.
EASTERN COMMUTEE.
Minutes of a Meeting of the Eastern Committee held in Lord Curzons Room at the
Privy Council Office on Monday, April 22, 1918, at 3 p.m.
Present:
The Right Hon. the Earl Curzon of Kbdleston, K.G., G.C.S.L, G.C.LE.
(in the Chair).
Lieut.-General the Right Hon. J. C. Smuts,
K.C.
The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, O.M., M.P.,
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. i
The Right Hon. the Lord Hardinge of
Penshurst, K.G., G.C.B., G.C.S.L,
G.C.M.G.
[Knight] Grand Cross of [the Order of] St Michael and St George (accolade).
, G.C.LE., G.C.V.O, I.S.O.,
Permanent Under-Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs.
Mr. L. Oliphant, C.M.G., Foreign Office.
Major-General Sir G. M. W. Macdonogh,
K.C.M.G., C.B., Director of Military
Intelligence.
The Right Hon. Lord Islington,
G.C.M.G.
[Knight] Grand Cross of [the Order of] St Michael and St George (accolade).
,
D.S.O., Under-Secretary of State for
India.
Mr. J. E. Shuokburgh,
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.
.
Also present:
Lieutenant-General Sir 11. V. Cox, K.C.M.G., C.B., C.S.I.,
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.
.
Captain E. Abraham, Secretary.
British Policy in 1. The Committee had under consideration a telegram from
1>er3ia ‘ Lord Reading (E.C.-129) concerning the share America might take
in furthering Allied policy in Persia. Previous pourparlers on this
subject were explained in their sequence by the Chairman, who read
E.C.-159 and E.C.-IOO.
It was pointed out that the declaration which the United States
Government had not thought fit to back in February, but the
execution of which they now seemed disposed to guarantee, was at
this date less appropriate. The declaration had not been made to
the Persian Government, and now our policy could be inferred from
the course of action in which we were engaged. The burden and
responsibilities were British, and it was scarcely desirable to allow
any other Power to stand bail for our future acts. This could only
cause trouble by inducing the Persians to appeal to our sureties for
redress against us, if they chose to complain that we were not
carrying out our promises to the letter.
Attention was drawn to E.C.-150 and the question of a French
participation in Persian affairs in addition to the American.
)L
[365—3]
About this item
- Content
This file is composed of papers produced by the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee, which was chaired by George Curzon for most of its existence. The file contains a complete set of printed minutes, beginning with the committee's first meeting on 28 March 1918, and concluding with its final meeting on 7 January 1919 (ff 6-214 and ff 227-272).
The file begins with two copies of a memorandum by Curzon, dated 13 March 1918, proposing the formation of the Eastern Committee. This is followed by a memorandum by Arthur James Balfour, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, approving Curzon's proposal, and a copy of a procedure for the newly created committee, outlining arrangements for committee meetings and the dissemination of information to committee members.
Also included is a set of resolutions, passed by the committee in December 1918, in order to guide British representatives at the Paris Peace conference (ff 216-225). The resolutions cover the following: the Caucasus and Armenia; Syria; Palestine; Hejaz and Arabia; Mesopotamia, Mosul, Baghdad and Basra. They are preceded by a handwritten note written by Curzon 'some years later', which remarks on how they are a 'rather remarkable forecast of the bulk of the results since obtained.'
- Extent and format
- 1 file (272 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 272; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located 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.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F112/274
- Title
- Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee
- Pages
- 1r:214v, 216r:272v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence