File 1323/1917 Pt 4 'Mesopotamia: Postage stamps & stationery' [‎76r] (11/428)

PLATES WHILE REMAINING THE PROPERTY OF THE CUSTOMER ARE ENGRAVED BY
US ONLY ON THE CONDITION THAT THEY ARE NOT REMOVED FROM OUR CUSTODY
Bradbury,Wilkinson Company,
!• j ~ /
(> >1
LIMITED.
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS
“BHADBANK- LONDON”
TELEPHONE
24:18 City.
codes rrlEMIER A.B.C.5™ edition
I
13th January 1921.
THE UHDER-SECRETARY OP STATE POR INDIA,
Political Department,
ia Office,
\ J ‘ TURKISH STAMPS SURCHARGED POR USi4:ij ;
MESOPOTA MIA.
’ f a a i i no i \
trJ i luZ i
Dear Sir:
Last week your Mr. Garrett telephoned the
undersigned to the effect that there had been some
delay in the preparation of the Tenders calling for
new designs of Postage Stamps for Mesopotamia, and
that therefore it was extremely probable that we would
be called upon to print some more bf the old issue of
Turkish Stamps, surcharging them for use in the Iraq.
He also informed me that he had cabled the Director of
Posts at Baghdad asking him to allow plenty of time for
the printing of these additional stamps.
As no doubt you are aware, when we originally
received instructions from your Department during the war
to print these Turkish Stamps for use in Mesopotamia,^you
authorised us to break the seals of the boxes containing
these plates, and subsequently this operation was brought
to the notice of the Turkish authorities, who felt that
we had violated the confidence they placed in us w hen
these plates were placed under seal. There was consider
able correspondence on this subject, and it took us some
time to convince the authorities in Constantinople that
we had acted under orders of the British Government.
i We now beg to advise you that we have received
instructions from our agent in Constantinople that the
Turkish Minister of Posts wishes us t0 .
used for the printing of their stamps inboxes under seal,
as called for in the contract we have with him. You can
readily see that if we are to comply with this request, it
will he impossible for us to execute any further orders we
may receive from 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. , without again breaking
these seals.
You of course realise that these plates are the
nrooerty of the Turkish Government, having been paid for
by them! and that therefore they are at liberty to dispose
of them as they think fit, providing they do not withdraw
them from our custody. On the other hand, we do not wish
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