![Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎31r] (61/544)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x0002a8/Mss Eur F112_274_0061.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎31r] (61/544)")
Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [31r] (61/544)
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.
7
a hopeless position and might find ourselves at any moment at
war with Persia. Was it the moment to seek alliance with Persia
when we were forcing Indian troops into their country and con
ducting operations with the South Persia Rifles ?
The Chairman thought there was some misapprehension. The
presence of British troops in the Gulf ports and their vicinity was
no novelty to the Persian Government; and he did not think that
the proposed reinforcement of Sykes need be regarded as a hostile
act any more than the reinforcements which had previously taken
place.
It was decided—
(1.) That a telegram, to be repeated to the Minister at Tehran,
should be sent to India to say that in future Sir P. Sykes
would be under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief
in India.
(2.) That it was necessary that not less than two battalions, with
the necessary medical services, should be sent as soon as
possible to the support of Sir P. Sykes, it being left to
the Commander-in-Chief in India to decide whence these
troops shoidd, be found.
(3.) That the above reinforcements should be sent to Sir P. Sykes
via Bandar Abbas and not Bushire.
(4.) That a telegram in the above sense should be drafted in
the War Office, in consultation with General Smuts, and
submitted to the Chairman.
2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.,
May 31, 1918.
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [31r] (61/544), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F112/274, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100069672677.0x00003e> [accessed 21 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100069672677.0x00003e
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100069672677.0x00003e">Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎31r] (61/544)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100069672677.0x00003e"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x0002a8/Mss Eur F112_274_0061.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x0002a8/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
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