"الملف 73/7 II (D 22) وضع الكويت - سكة حديد بغداد، والمفاوضات الأنجلو تركية" [و‎‎١‎٠‎٥] (٥٤٠/٢١٥)

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
ASIATIC TURKEY AND ARABIA. [June 17.]
CONFIDENTIAL. Section 3.
[25548] No- !•
Sir G. Lowiher to Sir Edw — (Received 17.)
gj r Constantinople, June 8, 1912.
WITH reference to your despatch No. 226 of the 28th May last, I have the honour
to forward herewith a memorandum from the commercial attache to this embassy
reporting on the present negotiations between the customs and the Bagdad Hailway
authorities as to construction, &c., of new premises at Bagdad.
I 1-* r* svr fk
1 have, &c.
GERARD LOWTHER.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum hy Mr. Weakley respecting Bagdad Customs.
[Foreign Office despatch No. 226 of the 28th May, 1912, transmitting letter from
the Board of Trade of the 24th May, 1912.]
FROM enquiries made at the customs, it would appear that, beyond an exchange
of views between the department and M. Hugenin,the director-general of the Anatolian
and Bagdad Railways, no attempt has yet been made to enter into serious negotiations
relative to the construction of the new customs premises and warehouses at Bagdad.
The railway company have arranged to prepare plans of the proposed buildings, and,
until these have been submitted to and examined by the administration, no further
steps are likely to be taken for the present. ^ ^ . ,
It is not possible therefore, at the present moment, to define the basis on wnicn
negotiations will take place ; I understand, however, that the customs are disposed to
agree to hand over all the warehousing of goods—goods lor local consumption as "well
as those in transit—to the railway company, in accordance with the stipulations ot
articles 23 and 24 of the Bagdad Railway Convention of the 5th March, 1903, but on
the condition—
1. That goods intended for Bagdad are trausponed across the river to the town
side by the railway company free of charge. „ -r
2. That goods shall enjoy free warehousing lor the fivst eight days after landing
and storing.
3. That storage dues shall only be levied after that period. a
4. That the " ardieh," or progressive warehousing charge levied in customs depots,
shall be abolished as far as Bagdad is concerned.
The railway company apparently claim their right under article 24 of the
convention, to erect and maintain bonded warehouses on any section of the railway ;
the question seems to be a debatable one, and turns on the interpretation of the
Turkish text of the article. This matter will be gone into, as well as the question of
the building of the new customs offices, the expense of which will presumably be
borne by the administration.
[2511 r—3J