ملف ٥٦٤٦\١٩١٨ "بلاد فارس وبلاد الرافدين: ترتيبات التلغراف المستقبلية" [ظ‎‎٢‎٥] (٣٠٣/٦٠)

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After XtS'l Ss. — ”«d”t
inseparable with us m the matter of the. route, u
they were to adopt the method of
restonno- communication which Ts open to the least delay of all the alternative routes,
namely, ma Germany, and they desire to put tins fonvmxl ^an Integra! part of an
amended scheme for the consideration of His Majesty s Go\ eminent.
In this connection the directors wish to make it clear that no fonn o . agreement
with the German Government would be considered by them under which a German
director would sit on their Board, or which m any way involved political control
over the Company’s affairs, or a right on the part of Germany to intervene m the
question of international telegraph traffic applicable to the Company s system
" Wt from the substitution of the route through Germany for the cables v,a
Danzig the Company would wish to revert to the proposal ot the -1st August, with
the minor modification that by retaining the existing Indo section Irom Odessa to
Teheran via the Caucasus the system beyond Odessa would be duplicated for
The Genera/Post Office will remember that the scheme of the 21st August 1919
carried on the Company’s system by land lines from Danzig through A arsaw and
Odessa by cable from Odessa to Constantinople, the latter cable probably having to.
The continuation of the system from Constantinople along the whole length, of
the Baghdad Railway to Baghdad and thence on via Kffianikin to Teheran is a vital
feature of the scheme, and the directors would wish that two wires should be made
available to the Company along that railway from Constantinople to Baghdad. .
Assuming the practicability of this proposal from a political point of view, it
tvouid offer direct and speedy working (with few difficulties of maintenance) which
could not be obtained by any other route east of Constantinople, and would assure
the direct transmission to India referred to above and so necessary for the success of
our system.
It would, in addition, as a British and reliable telegraph route, serve as an
important means of furthering and developing British interests in the countries
bordering upon the railway, Mesopotamia in particular.
They understand from the General Post Office letter under reply that facilities
will he given by His Majesty’s Government for wires from Baghdad in the direction
of Khanikin.
Constantinople, if a telegraph station in that city is conceded to tne Company,
would become a most important junction for the reason that the Eastern Telegraph
Company have cables linking that city with their system, and in the event of interrup
tions or delays the two Companies would be able to divert international traffic from
either direction at Constantinople without having to divert in tnto at the terminal
stations. This is, in the opinion of the directors, one of the outstanding advantages
of their present proposals.
In the event of interruptions between Khanikin and Teheran, traffic could be
diverted at Baghdad to the cables of the Indo-European Telegraph Department in the
Persian Gulf and thence to India.
The directors understand that in order to obtain facilities for wires along the
Baghdad Railway it will be necessary that a provision should be inserted in the
Peace Terms to be made with Turkey. If this proposal of the Company is accepted,
the directors look with confidence to His Majesty’s Government for their diplomatic
assistance.
They place their new r scheme before the General Post Office with the confident
feeling that it .offers the best opportunity for a speedy restoration of a reliable route
affording the advantages of direct land-line working and an existence separate and
distinct telegraphically from that of the Eastern Company.
They wish, however, to make it clear that should liis Majesty’s Government he
averse from the restoration of the Company’s communications via Germany, they' are
still prepared to carry out the scheme for communication rid Danzig, Odessa,
Constantinople, Baghdad Railway, Teheran, and Odessa, Caucasus, Teheran.
In this event they would also ask for the diplomatic support of His Majesty’s
Government in any questions which might arise with the Great ^Northern Telegraph
Company.
The directors understand that the Company’s route, if via Germany or Denmark,
he useful to His Majesty’s Government for transmission of Government