'Volume II. MEMORANDA REGARDING OTHER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. 1905.' [‎42v] (89/228)

2
Sir W WiUcock’s sclicme of irrigation. H *
Lordship did not see how we could send a n
expert to report upon Mesopotamia as the idea
of sending an expert seemed to have been
founded upon the assumption that eith er tli e
Imperial or the Indian Governmeut were likely
to put some money in the scheme. He though ^
that, if the project took shape at all, it would bo
essentially a Turkish public work, promoted by
European financiersc In this case, it would )G
desirable that British financiers should take a
part in it, hut even if the project was started
under German auspices, there was no reason
why a part of the capital should not he found
by a British group ; in which event encourage
ment, short of a guarantee, would he given. to
the scheme. Eord Eansdowne does not think
that the scheme will ever he started as a
British undertaking (vide paragraph 7 of the
Memorandum for September 1905).
4. The Secretary of State telegraphed on
the 3rd October, reporting that Sir N. O’Conor
had received information from Basrah that
German engineers were expected shortly at
Koweit via Bombay to enquire into the possi
bility of railway construction, and had sent on
members to make arrangements for their stay
there. He added that, if the report proved true,
Captain Knox, who was expected to arrive at
Bombay on the 12th October, should, if possible,
reach Koweit before the Germans.
In reply to enquiries, Major Cox reported
on the 10th October that he had received the
same report from the Consul at Basrah, and
that the Senior Naval Officer in the Persian
Gulf, when interviewing Sheikh Mubarak
of Koweit, had asked him as to its truth.
The Sheikh had replied that no German
engineers had been there lately, and that
he knew nothing about any being expected.
He promised, should he hear anything, to
report the matter at once. Major Cox has
asked the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Maskat to watch
passing ships, and to telegraph should it have
been found possible to obtain any information.
The Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. reported on the
23rd October that nothing so far was known of
the German engineers in question, but that the
Commissioner of Police had been instructed to
report immediately if he obtained any inform-
?i tl0 ?™ C ^ P i a i n Knox arrived at Bombay on
the 17th October and left the same day for
Karachi, presumably en route for Koweit It
IS conadered that Captain Knox’s presence
at Koweit is further desirable owine to the
arrangement reported hy Sir N. O’Conor for
atkoweit 1Sbment ° f 3 TU1 ' kisll ‘ P ° stal official
5. Qenteral. —Mr. W. B. Davenhill n
aSef .^ontTaSeen
appointed to act as British Vice-Consul,