"تاريخ الحرب الكبرى استنادًا إلى وثائق رسمية. الحملة في بلاد الرافدين ١٩١٤-١٩١٨. مجلد I" [ظ‎‎٣‎١] (٤٥٤/٦٧)

42 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
Constantinople we cordially wish will continue and prosper.
If, therefore, we could look forward to a settlement on
terms acceptable to the country of the railway question
in Mesopotamia .... the principal objection now
entertained to an increase in the Turkish customs duties,
which are, of course, the instrument by which we have a
hold upon these affairs, would at once fall to the ground.”
And he concluded :—
“ Here is no Alexander going from Europe to Asia—it
is a very different thing you have to think of ; here are
great rival international interests and a great movement
more difficult to adjust in all its elements. It is not merely
military; the military and strategic aspects are among a
whole congeries of elements that go towards the com
plication of questions of enormous importance both to
the political and commercial future of this country, and
therefore to the world.”
It had been freely stated in Parliament and the Press that
the Baghdad Railway could not be built without access to
the financial markets of Great Britain and France, but after
careful investigation of this point the British Government
arrived at the conclusion that these assertions were too
unqualified and that the assent of the Powers to the increase
of the Turkish customs duties was not an indispensable con
dition of the ultimate completion of the line.
. After Prolonged negotiations, the British Government
intimated in July 1912 to the Ottoman Government that, as
t ic question of British participation on terms acceptable to
them was likely to cause embarrassment to Turkey, and as
ey were anxious to reach a comprehensive understanding
without delay or controversy, they were prepared to withdraw
their request for British participation, if all British interests were
safeguarded by a satisfactory agreement on other points
enumerated. These included the following :
(a) An arrangement for the exclusion of differential treat-
ment on all railways in Asiatic Turkey.
(b) The admission of two British representatives, agreeable
to His Majesty’s Government, to the Board of the
Baghdad Railway Company.
l he terminus of the Baghdad Railway to be at Basra.
{U) A © railway to be continued beyond Basra in the direction
i-r ^r 6 • ^ >er ^ an Grdf without prior agreement with
is Majesty s Government and on conditions acceptable
to them.