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File 788/1919 Pt 3 ‘MESOPOTAMIA Disposal of River Craft’ [267v] (294/929)
The record is made up of 1 item (482 folios). It was created in 27 Dec 1919-24 Nov 1920. 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
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14
As tile Lords Commissioners are aware, it is proposed that the whole fleet
m Mesopotamia should be acquired by Lord Incheape and re-sold by him at
his own risk For political reasons it is considered desirable that local native
toiTlnild be in & position to compete with forergri c^rteb^m purchasmg
from Lord Inchcape, but to enable them to do so it may be necessary (as ex-
plaibd in the last sentence of Colonel Wilson’s telegram) to furnish them
with advances for short terms from Mesopotamian revenues agau s adequate
security. I am to enquire whether the Lords Commissioners would have any
Abjection to this course. I am to request the favour of an early reply.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Sd.) 0. C. GARBETT.
The Secretary,
. Treasury.
Copy of Telegram No. 6149, dated 30th January, 1920
From—Inwater, Basrah.
To—General Hughes, Baghdad.
“ Following from Gravdawes, London, to Helpers, begins : /tirer Craft
will be sold in Bombay by' Lord Inchcape about Kith or 17th February. Any
one wishing to buy, should be in Bombay by 15th February. Let this be
widely known to Europeans and natives. Inform Baghdad, ends : Mespers
are inserting Xotices to this effect in Local Papers.
Telegram—P.
From—Secretary of State for India, London.
To—Civil Commissioner, Baghdad.
No. Nil.
Bated 31st January (received 1st February), 1920.
Please refer to correspondence ending with yonr telegram of January
17th, 723. Whilst wishing to give fullest consideration to your proposals
His Majesty’s Government are at present opposed to retention of vessels for
civil freight. Your telegram, January 2nd (Agreement w T ith ?) Lord Inch
cape as described in my telegram, January 8th should remove apprehension
as to monopoly. As regards other requirements it is realised that details
cannot be adequately criticised here, but some figures seem rather high, e.g.,
61 runabouts for miscellaneous, 59 barges for ports and 30 M.B. class for civil
transport pool. Also if civil freight is excluded should not reserve under
river steamers S. 6lass and tugs (T) class be reduced. It is. desired generally
to have assurances that figures are minimum required for adequate discharge
of services that must remain in Government hands in immediate future. As
regards financial aspects I shall be glad have further report promised in
5 our telegram, January 17th, as soon as possible. Am I correct in under
standing that net cost of Civil Services apart from ports and other self-
supporting services is estimated at fifty
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
per annum? What proportion
of this is due to Civil Freight? Approximate indication of distiibution net
cost under main heads would.be useful. Please telegraph replies and any
lurthej observations as early as possible in order that final decision may be
taken As regards vgto (see last sentence of mv wire of 8th January 1920)
Lord Incncape has been informed that he should consult civil authorities with
a view to securing exclusion of persons considered politicallv undesirable.
Telegram—R. Pty. A.
From—Political, Baghdad.
To—Secretary of State for India, London.
No. 1385.
Bated 31st January, 1920.
<,v,,n i \7Z 0 w ni k^* Sia T Cori ! 0rat i 0n ’- 1!asral, > kaVe received following tele-
giam tiom Head Office, London, begins:
17H W1 ^ ^ )e B l omba i y b - v Boi ’d Inchcape about 16th or
arv T Tift ‘l A ?J 0Ile Wlshm f ^ huy should be in Bombay by 15th Febru-
ends ” T t >e Wldely kn0Wn t0 Enro P eans and natives. Inform Baghdad,
Notices will lie inserted in Baghdad papers under date February 2nd.
About this item
- Content
This file concerns the disposal of river craft in Mesopotamia and contains material relating to:
- The opposition of the Civil Commissioner in Baghdad, Colonel Arnold Talbot Wilson, to the proposals of Lord Inchcape [James Lyle MacKay, 1st Earl of Inchcape] for the disposal of river craft in Mesopotamia, on the grounds that it involved ‘unnecessary and undesirable abrogation by [the British] Government of its proper functions in favour of a private individual [Lord Inchcape] ... who is thereby enabled to exercise autocratic power in Mesopotamia’
- The particulars and estimated costs of the Inland Water Transport Fleet to be delivered to Basrah [Basra] and put into commission, the valuation of the Dockyard, and estimated cost of Magil [Al-Ma‘qil] Yard and its associated structures
- The announcement by the Manager of the Mesopotamia-Persia Corporation that if the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company were not given a monopoly for the transportation of goods, they would ‘create one by carrying goods for nothing, until they had forced out of business any local firms who were attempting to compete’
- The petition of the merchants of Basrah to the Civil Commissioner in Baghdad to arrange for the sale of the river craft in Basrah instead of Bombay [Mumbai] to provide them with a fair opportunity to purchase some of the vessels
- The opposition of Sir Percy Cox to assurances given to Lynch Brothers, Lord Inchcape and others, rather than a ‘consideration by commission or other specially constituted authority’ for navigation rights on the Tigris and Euphrates
- The plan for the sale of surplus Mesopotamian river craft by Lord Inchcape on behalf of the British Government to take place in Bombay, and the issues relating to the inability of British and native firms from Baghdad to be present at such short notice, as well as the general absence of information about which specific vessels were being offered for sale
- The Inland Water Transport schedules for the barges necessary to carry petrol for post-bellum Army requirements, and the oil barges used for storage at depots (ff 435-439)
- The statement of the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, to the Secretary of State for India on the vessels required for the civil administration of Mesopotamia, with an abstract of applications received from commercial firms for Inland Water Transport river craft (ff 423-431)
- The question of Lord Inchcape and his associates obtaining a legal or practical monopoly over river transportation in Mesopotamia and the position of the British Government
- The conditions set out by Civil Commissioner Baghdad that only ships designated by the Army as being surplus before 10 March 1920 be put up for sale, and the need to ensure equal opportunities for local purchasers with those from Bombay
- The Schedule for Craft required by the Civil Administration, from Brigadier-General Robert Herbert Wilfred Hughes, Director of Inland Water Transport, to the Civil Commissioner Baghdad (ff 316-319)
- The Sub-Committee on Mesopotamian Ports, Surveys and Inland Water Transport’s inter-departmental conference on Middle Eastern Affairs, 16 March 1920
- The information from the Inland Water Transport Office to the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, on pumping installations in connection with oil distribution at various stations (ff 261-269)
- The inter-departmental conference to discuss the disposal of surplus river craft in Mesopotamia, led by the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, and including representatives from the War Office, Inland Water Transport, Ministry of Supply, the Foreign Office, and 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. , 8 April 1919
- The invitation by the Commissioner, Ministry of Munitions Disposal Board, General Headquarters, at the request of the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, on behalf of Lord Inchcape, of tenders for the purchase of all surplus Government river craft available in Mesopotamia
- The report by Lord Inchcape to Minister of Munitions, Lord Inverforth [Andrew Weir, 1st Baron Inverforth], on his disposal of surplus small craft belonging to the Mesopotamian fleet, 31 March 1920 (ff 159-192)
- The advertisement for the sale of the river craft in the Baghdad Times, the popular response to a rumour about a possible sale to the Lynch Brothers, and the views of the Manager of the River Steamship Company expressed to the British Chamber of Commerce.
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- 1 item (482 folios)
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- Title
- File 788/1919 Pt 3 ‘MESOPOTAMIA Disposal of River Craft’
- Pages
- 122r:123v, 124v:133v, 134ar:134av, 134r:158v, 192v:193v, 194v:278v, 279ar, 279r:303v, 304ar, 304r:312v, 313ar, 313r:399v, 400v:412v, 414v, 415v, 417v:564v, 565ar, 565r:570v, 571ar, 571r:582v
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