"بلاد الرافدين. اللجنة" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٠] (٢٥٦/٢٠٣)

No.V
Viceroy to Secretary of State fur India, dated bth Jtecember U>14.
(Telegraphic.)
The two following telegrams dated 27th November have been reeeived from Sir I’. Cox,
regarding the administration of Basra :
(1) “ The General Officer Commanding and I considered that the administration of the
town and suburb should be a military one while a state of war continues, or at any rate while
Basra is occupied by the Expeditionary Force. In consequence, subject to the approval of
the higher authority concerned, Major Brownlow has received the appointment of Military
Governor, and a suitable military staff has been allotted to him, to which I have attached the
late Consul at Basra, Mr. Bullard, as adviser for civil and local affairs, and Mr. Gregson of
the Punjab Police, for the registration of arms and organisation of local police. Gregson ean
at the same time discharge his ordinary duties in connection with the arms traffic. If
Government approve these appointments, I request that authority may be conveyed to me by
telegraph to confirm them, and also to submit proposals for settling pay. In the event of
Government holding different views from the above with regard to the duration of military
administration, 1 beg to be informed. It is necessary to take measures for the conduct of
customs, quarantine, and of the civil post office and the telegraph office, apart from those
measures which the maintenance of order involves. As regards the post office, only the mails
of the Force can be dealt with by the military postal section, and 1 suggest that military
postal officers should be instructed by the Director-General to report as to the necessary
requirements of staff and accessories. With regard to civil telegraph offices and their
connected branch lines, I am asking for a report on requirements from by the traffic manager,
Karachi, at present at Mohammerah on board the Patrick Stewart, who is being requested to
come here for the purpose. On the assumption that the line will be managed by the Indo-
European Telegraph Department, I request that Director-General may be instructed to
arrange for the necessary staff to be sent up. In the commercial interests of the public it is
of «reat importance that the work of posts and of telegraphs should he resumed at the earliest
possible date. With regard to Customs it ha^ been arranged that for the time being Messrs.
Grey Mackenzie shall conduct them, in addition to agents working in conjunction with a
military accounts officer, but I should be glad of the despatch of a Customs official who should
advise as to future needs. In the matter of quarantine, arrangements will be made by the
medical officer in communication with British quarantine authorities at Mohammerah."
(2) “ It is also necessary to replace as soon as possible the following Turkish
Administrative Departments, with which the Military administration cannot cope
properly:—(a) management of State property, (b) management of Waqf properties,
(<•) collection of land revenue generally, (d) collection of those revenues which are ear-marked
for the public debt account, (e) management of tobacco Regie. In cases (d) and (e) we are
responsible to bondholders despite state of war. and it will be well to place the management
on a working footing as soon as possible. At an early date I will endeavour to state what
establishment Turks employed in each case and w\\&t, prima facie, appears now to be inquired.
Something similar to what is commonly employed in the case of an Indian district will
probably meet the case. Meanwhile I presume that Basra will he administered by the
Government of India. 1 recommend that an officer of suitable experience and standing,
either civilian or political, be despatched as soon as possible, together with one or two trained
accountants, for the examination of the working of these branches, and for making recom
mendations as to their conduct in future. "D »ill im iwiilL In-mlnnE-un ntKMnn-iiU'hit„in lii nly o.
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