'Mesopotamia' [‎18r] (35/152)

Mesopotamia] BRITISH INFLUENCE
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together with increased ditticulty in protecting them.
This difficulty arose
" partly from the iiievitublfc multiplication ot points of contact
and friction; partly from the bureaucratic influence of Con
stantinople in Baghdad affairs; and partly from the overween
ing and chauvinistically Turkish spirit of the Pashas now
posted to Baghdad by the central authorities.'" 1
The part played by Great Britain in the Turko-Persian
boundary disputes tended to increase her influence, but
not to improve ber relations with the Turkish authori
ties. The latter, however, continued, as before, to
appeal for British assistance in difficulties; at the
beginning of the Crimean War there appeared a pro
bability that Persia might join Russia against Turkey,
but the despatch of two British warships to Basra had
a tranquillising effect not only upon Persia but also
upon certain rebellious Arab tribes in 1 urkish terri
tory. 2
British official activity was further extended by the
influx of British Indians into the Holy Cities in con
sequence of the Oudh Bequest. I his instrument ,
agreed on by the King of Oudh and the Governor-
General of India in 1825, came into operation in 1849.
and provided for the monthly payment of sums amount
ing to £10,000 a year to Shiahs'at Kerbek and Nejef
Owing to complaints that the funds were being mis
appropriated to political or personal ends, the Bequest
was in 1852 made payable from the Baghdad Treasury,
and the British Resident came to exercise a certain
supervision over the expenditure. The development
of British and British-Indian trade in Mesopotamia,
the navigation by British vessels of Mesopotamian
waters, and the measures taken for the suppression of
piracy and the protection of traffic on the Shatt
el-Arab gave to the British Government " a
paramount local influence." This was strengthened
by the institution, in 1^62, of a British mail service
1 Lorimer's Gazetteer, p. 188G.
2 Ibid., p. 1385.
3 Reported by Colonel Eawlinson in 1852.