ملف ٥٦٤٦\١٩١٨ "بلاد فارس وبلاد الرافدين: ترتيبات التلغراف المستقبلية" [و‎‎٧] (٣٠٣/٢٢)

India Office to Imperial Communications Committee.
P. 3211. India Office,
Sir, 19th May 1920.
/ With reference to the letter from this Office, P. 8467, of 12th February last,
enclosing a copy of a Despatch to the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, on the subject of
international telegraph communication with the East via Mesopotamia, I am directed
by the Secretary of State for India to forward,
* ^o. 9/77, dated 19th March 1920. f or p ie consideration of the Imperial Commu
nications Committee, a copy of Col. Wilson’s reply. 1
The proposals made in the letter appear to the Secretary of State to be generally
suitable, but, before informing Col. Wilson that they are accepted, Mr. Montagu
would be glad to learn whether the Imperial Communications Committee approve
them.
I am, &c.,
The Secretary/ J. E- Shuckburgh.
Imperial Communications Committee.
From Brevet Lieut.-Col. A. T. Wilson. C.S.I., C.M.G., D.S.O., Acting
Civil Commissioner in Mesopotamia, Baghdad, to the Secretary of State for India.
No. 9777.
Mr,
Office of the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad,
19th March 1920.
I have the honour to refer to your Despatch of thn 12th February, P. 8467, on
the subject of international telegraphic communication mu Mesopotamia.
I would preface these remarks by saying that I am most anxious ro establish
such an international route, but I submit that the settlement of a satisfactory working
arrangement with the Indo-European Telegraph Company is intimately connec ec
with the question of the most suitable alignment to be followed by this Internationa
’“"‘Tam tJareTmt the views that I am about to put forward differ from those of
the Director-in-Chief of the Indo-European Telegraph Department. I differ from him
on such a matter with the greatest diffidence and with great respect, in view of his
Inn o’ aonuaintance with problems in Persia and the Persian uiut.
8 The views that I nofv put forward are those of the highly competent telegraph
officials in Mesopotamia, who have not only been responsible thiou^
the disposal to India of traffic eight times greater m volume than the pre war
international traffic via the Indo-European Departments lines, but^have also lebuilt
and are maintaining the temporary wooden post line with two wires between I lamqin
and T e ^ n a J b officials that even if a satisfactory line were in
existence betweeii Khaniqin and Tehran, it would never be used m practice for
’“^Throughobfffie war not a single telegram from Mesopotamia to India has been
diverted vid Khaniqin and Tehran, although this route was available.
The existint temporary line is valueless for international purposes, and if it were
still insisted on that this route should be followed, it would be necessary at enormous,
expense to recoahruet 450 miles of the line through difficult country with permanent.
material. prese nt state of the world’s finances does not justify
tki, Wj r"fT I? Khfl iS ,0 T.C . S iu.~"-hah ...1 Hamackm
"r«i rs«s iu,», -.... * —
form of British control over the ^^Pyj^egrap^ and
of over 60 words per minute.
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