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File 2764/1904 Pt 2 'Baghdad Railway: General negotiations 1908-10.' [‎110v] (229/799)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (391 folios). It was created in 1908-1910. 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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Djavad Bej,
May 27, 1909.
Euphrates Valley
Bail way.
Sir G. Lowther,
No. 375, May 25,
1909.
of course, to be additional to that already formulated, that the proceeds of
the increase should pass to the Turkish Exchequer, and be kept free from
any existing lien.
At the end of May an official request was received from the Turkish
Government for His Majesty’s Government’s assent to the increase by 4 per
cent, of the Turkish customs duties. The Turkish Charge d’Affaires’ note
alluded to the financial difficulties of his Government, from which relief could
only be found by the proposed measure; alluded to the undertaking already
given by the Turkish Ambassador that the proceeds of the increase would
be kept free from any existing lien; and stated that the German and
Austrian Governments had already assented to the increase.
At the same time a despatch was received from Sir G. Lowther, enclosing
a report from His Majesty’s Consul-General at Bagdad, in which the latter
advocated, as the most important desideratum of British policy in Meso
potamia and the adjacent regions, the acquisition of a Concession for a
railway directly connecting Bagdad with the Mediterranean at Alexandretta
via the Euphrates Valley and Aleppo. Colonel Bamsay pointed out that
the financial regeneration of Turkey is dependent on the development of
Mesopotamia; that the progress of that region is held back by the deficient
means of communication ; and that irrigation in Mesopotamia and develop
ment of railways must go hand in hand together. Assuming that the
Bagdad Bailway would some day he built along the trace of 1903, and
viewing the matter from the purely commercial point of view, Colonel
Bamsay argued that a railway in British hands up the Euphrates Valiev
from Bagdad to the Mediterranean through Aleppo would furnish the best
means of protecting British interests in Mesopotamia against foreign com
petition. The railway from Bagdad to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. he regarded as
important, but less important than the line to the Mediterranean. He
regarded it as most urgent that the Turkish Government should retain
freedom of action and equality of rates for all parties on the Aleppo-
Alexandretta section, pointing out that if the German Bagdad Bailway
Company were to secure control of this section they could, by imposing
maximum rates on goods reaching Aleppo via the Euphrates line, nullify
all the advantage the latter would obtain over the Bagdad line by means o*f
its shorter length. On this point Sir G. Lowther in his covering despatch,
wrote:—
“I am not convinced that this apprehension is well grounded. The
German Company possesses its preference for the line connectins:
Aleppo with the sea only on condition that the prior similar rights
of the Damascus - Hamah-Biredjik Bailway are respected ^see
Young’s ‘Corps de Droit Ottoman,’ vol. iv, pp. 166-7 and 228).
Now, supposing the French Company is willing to cede its right,
it seems to me certain that whatever other conditions they mav
attach to the Agreement, they would certainly stipulate for
favourable treatment in tariff matters for themselves, and in such
case it is hard to conceive that the Turkish Government would not
insist on equally favourable treatment for any railway starting
from Aleppo for which they might grant a Concession. Thus”
though no doubt serious, I doubt whether the competition of the
Bagdad Bail way would be as formidable as Colonel Bamsay antici
pates, especially when the advantage which the Euphrates Valiev
line would possess in its shorter route is taken into account.”
Sir G. Lowther, however, recognized how desirable it was that the
Aleppo-Alexandretta section should be in more friendly hands than those of
the Bagdad Bailway Company, and he also pointed to the fact that the
French houses interested in Turkish railways do not always adopt the
policy advocated by the French Government. * 1
There were thus three alternative schemes towards the attainments of
which His Majesty’s Government might turn their endeavours :
1. Participation in the existing Concession in such a manner as to secure
to Great Britain the construction and control of the Gulf section of the
railway up to Bagdad, and if possible further north to Mosul.

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Content

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, newspaper cuttings, maps and notes, relating to negotiations over the proposed Berlin to Baghdad Railway in the period 1903-1907.

The discussion in the volume relates to the economic, commercial, political and military considerations impinging on British strategy for the international negotiations over the development of a railway to Baghdad in particular.

Further discussion surrounds the motivations and strategies of British competitors in the area; included in the volume are four maps.

The principal correspondents in the volume include the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Lord Lansdowne, Sir Edward Grey), His Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople (Sir Nicholas O'Connor), the Under Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Charles Hardinge, Sir Thomas Henry Sanderson), and for India (Earl Percy, Sir Arthur Godley), the Viceroy of India (Lord Curzon of Keddleston), the Secretary to the Political and Secret Department of 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. (Sir Richmond Richie) and the London Manager of the Imperial Bank of Persia (George Newell).

Extent and format
1 volume (391 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The subject 2764 (Bagdad Railway) consists of five volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/56-60. The volumes are divided into five parts with each part comprising one volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 392; 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 329-358; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and are located in the same position as the main sequence. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out. The foliation sequence does not include the front cover.

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File 2764/1904 Pt 2 'Baghdad Railway: General negotiations 1908-10.' [‎110v] (229/799), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/57, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100026492732.0x00001e> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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