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‘Notes and private telegram from the Viceroy regarding the future settlement of Eastern Turkey in Asia and Arabia.’ [79r] (5/20)
The record is made up of 1 file (10 folios). It was created in 1915. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
18
Mesopotamia. If and when we get to Bagdad the solution of this question
is likely to prove easier than it looks at present. A temporary solution
might be the creation of a ( ouncil of Sunni and Shiah riemas under the
direction of a Resident.
Our Bagdad protectorate should extend north of Samara ( ? which is
a ? ) religious centre and should comprise Khanikin on the trade route to
Persia.
1 am averse from increasing our military responsibilities more than is
absolutely necessary, but the situation has to be faced, and it must be
realised that with an unfriendly C Jovernment at Bagdad our political, military
and commercial position at Basra might become very difficult.
In my note I advocated as a condition of peace the transfer to British
hands of the whole property of Bagdad Railway Company, its rights and
privileges, leaving Turkey to arrange for indemnification' of German and
other shareholders. This should in any case apply to such extension of the
railway as will pass through territory annexed or controlled by us after
the war.
^ ou mention that \\ n i Ollice and Adimra 1 ty insist on importance of acquiring
Alexandretta as safeguarding possession of Mespotamia by control of railway
terminus. 1 would only remark that the possession of Alexandretta without
the hinterland as far as Aleppo would not help us to control the Bagdad
Railway, which throws out branches at various points to the sea, hut runs
well inland the whole way from Ismidt to Bagdad.
From a military point of view it would probably be to our advantage in
Mesopotamia that the section of the railway from Jerablus to Bagdad should
never he built, or certainly not for several years.
As regards your enquiry of my opinion as to the general area which
should be leit to Turkey after claims of belligerents have been satisfied,
I presume that Russia will take Erzeroum and Van, Constantinople, and
any further strip of territory on the Asiatic shore of the Bosporus. France
a\i I 1 at least claim Syria and Palestine as her sphere of influence direct or
indirect. The vilayets of Khan Bitlis and Diarbekir will probably become
an autonomous Armenia. Thus Turkey would practically be shut oil' from
Mesopotamia and Syria. Konia would probably become the seat of Turkish
Government, and round Konia there are several provinces predominatingly
Turkish, and these might form a respectable Turkish State.
I he fiitme Oi Khali late and ol Arabia is a question which should settle
itself with a benevolent attitude on our part but with as little outside
interference as possible.
In return for important concessions made to Russia in Turkey, would it
not be possible to induce her to relax her hold on northern Persia and to "ive
Persia a chance? This would suit us far better than any partition. Anyhow
the future of Persia must be, I think, taken into serious consideration in
conjunction with the future of what is now Asiatic Turkey.
Lastly, I trust in any scheme of mutual agreement between the allies a
settlement of the question of the French possessions in India will not be
forgotten.
About this item
- Content
The papers comprise as follows:
- A note by Sir (Frederic) Arthur Hirtzel, Secretary, Political and Secret Department, 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. , dated 14 March 1915, indicating factors to be considered in ensuring Basra’s future immunity from Turkish authority, organised under a number of subheadings: geography; ethnology; communications, including roads, railways, and waterways; irrigation; administrative reorganisation; the geographical area to be detached from Turkish authority; the nature of the new administration; protected area; and Persia (folios 77-83);
- A note by General Sir Edmund George Barrow, Military Secretary, 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. , dated 16 March 1915, on the defence of Mesopotamia [Iraq], written in response to Hirtzel’s note, and considering the military implications of defending Mesopotamia (folios 83-84);
- Comments on Barrow’s note by Hirtzel, dated 17 March 1915, chiefly concerned with Turkish influence in the Arab world (folios 84-85);
- A telegram from the Viceroy (Charles Hardinge) to the Marquess of Crewe, Secretary of State for India, dated 15 March 1915, regarding the importance of British administration of the vilayets (administrative regions) of Basra and Bagdad [Baghdad], and ownership of the Baghdad railway (folio 85);
- A map entitled ‘Eastern Turkey in Asia’, indicating the Baghdad railway (completed and projected sections), the Hejaz railway, Aleppo Mezerib line, and the Turko-Persian frontier (folio 86).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (10 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at f 77, and terminates at f 86, as it is part of a larger physical volume; 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. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 77-86; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and won't be found in the same position as the main sequence.
Folio 86 is a fold-out map, extending by more than 3cm beyond the edge of the volume.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/B213
- Title
- ‘Notes and private telegram from the Viceroy regarding the future settlement of Eastern Turkey in Asia and Arabia.’
- Pages
- 77r:86v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence