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Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [61v] (122/544)
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.
8
Situation in South
Persia.
Aeroplanes for
India.
Baku and the
Caucasus.
is possible to arrange a political control coterminous witli the
area suggested for your military control. \\ hat exactly do you
mean by a voice in direction of leheran policy ?
•
3. Mr. Montagu raised the question whether it were possible
to send reinforcements to relieve the Abadeh situation by the Lynch
road.
General Macdonogh said he was doubtful whether this was
possible. He thought, however, we might perhaps induce the
Ilkhani
The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran.
of the Bakhtiari to help us. 1 he
Ilkhani
The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran.
had just defeated
the Kubgelus and might be willing to assist us. It looked at present
as if the Kashgais were not over keen to go on, and they seemed to
be quarrelling with Wassmuss.
The Chairman said he was doubtful if the
Ilkhani
The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran.
would be
willing to fight the Kashgais, as this would involve him in a long
feud with that tribe.
The Committee decided—
That the War Office should be ashed to telegraph to General
Marshall to enquire if he thought that any use could be
made of the Bakhtiaris in order to relieve the situation,
either at Isfahan or Abadeh.
4. Mr. Montagu said that it might be advisable to supplement
the number of bombing machines at present available in India for
use on the North West frontier of India, in view of possible
eventualities.
General Smuis thought that in case of emergency these might
be supplied from Egypt.
General Cox pointed out that machines for India had to be
specially constructed, and that consequently reinforcements of this
arm could not be improvised.
General Macdonogh added that machines for the North West
frontier would have to be long-range machines. He thought that
the best thing would be for the
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.
to approach the Air
Ministry direct on the subject.
The Chairman said that several Indian Princes in contributing
towards the expense of the war had expressly desired that their gifts
should be devoted to the provision of air-craft. He thought that the
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.
might suggest to the Air Ministry that at least an
equivalent number of modern aeroplanes of a suitable type should
now be placed at the disposal of the Indian Government.
The Committee decided—
To authorise the Secretary of State for India to approach the
Air Ministry in the above sense, and to state in his com
munication that the Eastern Committee regarded the
provision of additional air-craft for India as very
important, in view of possible developments.
5. General Macdonogh said that the General Officer Com
manding, Mesopotamia, had asked (E.C.-G74) whether he should
authorise General Dunsterville to destroy the oil-fields, as the
instructions he had received only mentioned pumping plant, pipe ; -
lines, and oil reserves.
The Chairman pointed out that the War Office telegram of the
20th June to General Marshall (E.C. 653) had stated “If we can
get complete control of Caspian shipping, destroy the Baku pumping
plant, pipe-line, and oil reservoirs, we shall have obtained our
present object ” The Committee at their 13th Meeting, Minute 1,
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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Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [61v] (122/544), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F112/274, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100069672677.0x00007b> [accessed 4 April 2025]
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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