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'MEMORANDUM RESPECTING THE NAVIGATION OF THE TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES.' [‎25v] (51/284)

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The record is made up of 1 file (42 folios). It was created in 24 Apr 1913. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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36
to the proposed arrangement." This consent was
expressed in the following \\oids .
"La Sublime Porte consent an remplacement par un
autre navire du Mtiment de la marine Rojale la
'Comete ' se trouvant sur lea rivieres de la Mesopotamie,
€t elle a transmis des ordres en consequence au
Oouverneur general du vilayet de Bagdad.
As the Government of India were inclined to ^
the opinion that it was unnecessary to replace May 22, 1870,
1 , • . m • .i and enclosures,
the 44 Comet" by a vessel of similar size, and
proposed to supply a steam launch in its place,
Colonel Herbert wrote a strong despatch opposing
the proposal, and urged that British interests
in Mesopotamia required the presence on the
rivers there of a Government vessel of consider- •
able importance. He pointed out that, should
the efforts made by Namick Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. (and continued
after his departure from Bagdad) to run the
steamers of the Euphrates and Tigris Steam
Navigation Company off the Tigris prove
successful, the whole dependence of the British
and Indian community would rest on the vessel
attached to the Bagdad residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , and, moreover,
that vessel would be the only available means
of keeping up postal communication with India.
Three steamers commissioned by Namick Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
in 1866| were plying on the Tigris, and the
Turkish authorities were using every meafas in
their power to drive the British vessels from the
river. To this end those engaged in the manage
ment of the Turkish steamers desired to deprive
the company of the Indian mail subsidy and to
obtain it for themselves. It was feared by the
local agents of the English company that they
would be unable to resist the Turkish competi
tion. In his covering despatch Sir H. Elliot
stated that, in his opinion, if the "Comet" were
to be replaced only by a steam launch, it would
be vain to attempt to obtain from the Porte
permission for the retention of a larger vessel
should its presence be found subsequently to be
necessary. Sir H. Elliot's views were concurred
m by the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , and communicated to the Ma Office
naian Government, but no decision with regard JuDe 23 > 18 ' 70 -
to replacing the « Comet" was taken until some
lour years later (1874).
"Wbile the " Comet" question and the question
of opening the navigation of the Mesopotamian
"vers to the flags of a.l natioils ^
* Note verhale, dated July 13, 1869.
* See note on page 35.

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Content

Memorandum, written by Richard William Brant and Edward Parkes of the Foreign Office, Apr 1913 regarding navigation on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The memorandum is divided into four parts:

  • Historical Memorandum respecting the navigation of the Mesopotamian rivers. The memorandum describes the history of British relations with Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. and the progress of their relations in order to determine the rights that Great Britain possesses which allow it to participate in the trade and navigation of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The memorandum covers both the period where rights were acquired by the East India Company (1579-1859) and from 1860s onwards where rights and special privileges were acquired and maintained on behalf of the Tigris and Euphrates Steam Navigation Company (folios 8-66);
  • British rights by treaty with regard to the navigation of the Tigris and Euphrates, which looks at the rights accrued by Great Britain through treaties with the Ottoman Government and through the Ottoman Empire's treaties with other nations (folios 67-70);
  • Conclusions, which summarises the conclusions that can be drawn from the information provided in both the historical memorandum and the treaties sections (folios 71-74);
  • Chronological Table covering the period 1759 to 1912, with annual entries from 1873 onwards (folios 75-119) ;
  • Annex: Instances where the employment of British steamers in the navigation of the Tigris and Euphrates has been asserted or admitted to be limited by the Firmans of 1834 and 1841;
  • Appendices: 34 items which are listed on folio 122, and include extracts and copies of Treaties, Firmans, Memorandum, Circulars and other relevant documents covering the period 1718 to 1912.
Extent and format
1 file (42 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: The main foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio (except for the front cover where the folio number is on the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. ). An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between folios 4-139; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.

Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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'MEMORANDUM RESPECTING THE NAVIGATION OF THE TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES.' [‎25v] (51/284), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B199, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023576028.0x000034> [accessed 3 May 2024]

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