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Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [265v] (530/544)
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.
MR. SHUCKBURGH : No. That I think he has not done.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: I think he ought to be warned about that. We shall
put ourselves hopelessly wrong with the French if we do that.
SIR ERLE RICHARDS’ BRIEF.
SIR A. HIRTZEL: The point was really raised by Richards, who wants to know
what he is to put in the draft memorandum which lie is preparing about it.
LORD CURZON : What is that memorandum about ?
SIR A. HIRTZEL : It covers the w T hole of Mesopotamia. I think you approved it.
LORD CURZON: His original Mesopotamia draft? It.had to be corrected a
good deal. Is this the revised version ?
SIR A. HIRTZEL : I have only seen one, which he said you had approved, but
he had to leave a blank here.
PERSIA.
LORD CURZON : What else have we before us ?
MR. MONTAGU : We did not ever finish Persia.
LORD CURZON : We did not have a very satisfactory discussion on Persia the
other day. I think matters are a little less complicated than they were. ‘•Sir Charles
Marliinr has put his views rather more definitely, and I think with greater effect than
he did here. Whether it is desirable to resume the discussion I do not know.
MR. MONTAGU : We might have resolutions on it.
LORD ROBERT CECIL : I think we ought to have a policy about Persia.
LORD CURZON : I have a very clear idea of what our policy ought to be.
Mv views are those of the author of the Foreign Office papers, and to hear an
ex-Minister argue the other day that our interests in Persia are wholly insignificant, and
that we could afford to let the country drift into chaos while we looked on, shocked me
greatly. It would be tearing to pieces the work of a century, and it would be one of
the greatest derelictions of duty for which a British Government had ever been
responsible. I do not know whether my views are shared by the whole of the
Eastern Committee, but I am quite prepared to have a discussion about it again, and
to read these papers and endeavour to draw up some propositions.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: I think it would be very useful if you could find time
to do it.
LORD CURZON : Is that the only subject that is left over ?
COLONEL STORR: The War Office are very anxious to have the whole
question of railways in Mesopotamia discussed.
LORD CURZON : That is not a Peace Conference question. That is a matter
for the ordinary meeting of the Eastern Committee. I want to wipe out the things
that may come up at the Peace Conference.
MB. MONTAGU : We have not quite finished Mesopotamia.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: We have not settled the particular form of Arabian
Government.
LORD CURZON : We are waiting for the replies.
MR. SHUCKBURGH: Captain Wilson promised his final reply by the end of
the year.
LORD CURZON : I think we ought to deal with Persia while the matter is
fresh in our minds.
2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.,
December 20, 1918.
o
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