Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎149r] (297/544)

British. They would, however, reject the French. Further, who
ever controlled Lower Mesopotamia must also control the upper
waters of the Euphrates, as it would be possible to utilise the whole
of the water of the Euphrates for irrigating the plain of Aleppo by
drawing it off between Birejik and Bakka. The Arabs of North
Mesopotamia were distinguished for their extreme nationalism, and
they had deduced from the attitude of the French during this war,
wherever they had come into contact with them, that the French
were inimical to the Arab movement for national independence.
The French were getting into Syria under General Allenby’s wing,
and although he did not like it, Feisal would probably be content to
leave Beirut and the Lebanon to French tutelage provided that
there was no question of French annexation. Tripoli is the part
which the Arabs will make a light for, as Tripoli is the natural
railway existing from Arabia to Syria, and the Tripoli—H#ms railway
is the only Syrian railway with real commerc al possibilities. The
Beirut-Rayak or Haifa-Damascus railway could not compete with
it. The Arabs wanted a footing in the Bay of Alexandretta at
Arsus, and Colonel Lawrence thought that no one Power should
have exclusive control of this bay. He suggested that Adana,
Mt *rsina, and Port Ayas might form part of on Armenian State.
The Arabs would welcome such a State in Cilicia. There had been
no Armenian massacres during the war in ALppo or Syria, owing to
local Arab influence, which had prevented their occurrence. Thbre
were a large number of Armenian refugees in different parts of
Syria. The Armenians were now very much scattered, and only
formed an insignificant percentage of the population in the six
so-called Armenian vilayets. He therefore thought that the
Armenian State where the Armenians could collect should be near
to the sea and modest in size.
Colonel Lawrence stated that he understood from M. Picot,
whom he had met in Rome on his way back, that the French
intended to impose French advisers upon Feisal. Feisal took the
view that he was free to choose whatever advisers he liked. He
was anxious to obtain the assistance of British or American Zionist
Jews for this purpose. The Zionists would be acceptable to the
Arabs on terms.
At the request of the Chairman, Colonel Lawrence undertook
to furnish the Committee with a memorandum on the various points
touched upon.
Caspian Situation.
Naval Flag to be
flown by Shipping
under British
Control.
(3 ) The Committee had before them a telegram from the Senior
Naval Officer, Baghdad, No. 30, of the 20th October (E.C. 1093).
Admiral Hope said the point on which he asked the instructions
of the Committee was raised in the latter part of the above tele
gram—“ships armed by order are at present Hying Russian naval
Hag, and this is politically sound, but, as soon as definite break does
take place, white ensign will he hoisted and action taken.” He said
that, when the naval party had been sent up to Enzeli to endeavour
to get hold of part, at any rate, of the Caspian fleet, the intention
was that any warships that came into our hands should fly the white
ensign. Were there any special political reasons now why such
ships should continue to fly the Russian flag ?
Lord Robert Cecil said that at the 36th Meeting of the Com
mittee (Minute 7), the Committee had decided to instruct himself
to see Admiral Hope on their behalf with a view to the withdrawal
of the order to destroy all ships in the Caspian. He had accordingly
seen the Admiral and they had agreed that, if any warships
approached, which were not m our hands, we should inform them
that they must either surrender to us or be sunk. This, however,
would not apply to merchant shipping. The Admiral himself had