'Navigation on the rivers of Mesopotamia' [‎28r] (1/8)

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NAVIGATION ON THE RIVERS OF MESOPOTAM/A.
Navigation on the rivers of Mesopotamia appears to have been established about the
year 1610. From that time the company's vessels went regularly to Basrah under arrange
ments with the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , of that place.
following article referring to navigation occurs :—
“ All English vessels, small or great, shall and may at any time safely and securely come and harbour in any
of the seas and ports of our dominions, and likewise may from there depart at their pleasure without detention
or hinderanee of any man.”
This treaty also regulated the payment of customs dues"; but as Mesopotamia was at the
time semi-independent, all the conditions were not observed there, till at length in 1759 Sulei
man Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Baghdad issued a boiooroldi ordering the conditions to be observed at Basrah.
British ships on several occasions assisted the Governors of Baghdad against their
enemies, but our papers do not show that any British vessel went beyond Basrah till 18J\4^
In that year the British Government resolved to establish overland communication with India
via 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 for this purpose two steamers were brought overland from the Mediter
ranean to the Euphrates, and there put together and placed under the command of Colonel
Chesney. A firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). was obtained from the Sultan allowing two steamers to navigate the
Euphrates by turns for commercial purposes, and “ as long as it may prove useful to the two
powers” {vide Aitchison’s Treaties, Yol. VII, page 15).
One of these steamers foundered in the Euphrates, and the other was in 1837 handed over
to the East India Company and placed under the command of Lieutenant Lynch. In 1839
three additional steamers were sent out to the Euphrates. These were all heavily armed, and
the whole flotilla was placed under the orders of Lieutenant Lynch, who commanded it till it
was broken up in 1812. During this time the steamers carried the mails regularly to
Baghdad, and on several occasions proceeded far beyond this city without meeting with any
objections on the part of the Turkish authorities.
In 1841 the Porte granted a new firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). for the navigation on the Euphrates in confirma
tion of the firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). of 1884 and couched in the same terms.
In 1842 three of the steamers were withdrawn for service on the Indus, while the fourth,
the Nitocris, was placed at the disposal of the Resident at Baghdad, and continued to run on
the Tigris, carrying the mails, as well as occasional passengers.
Our papers do not show that any special arrangements were made with the Turkish
authorities for the steamer placed at the Residents disposal. They probably found it a conve
nience, as frequent mention is made of its having carried Turkish officials and other passengers.
British merchants had long been accustomed to trade with Baghdad from Basrah; but in
1840 two firms were established at Baghdad, who carried on the trade with Basrah in country
boats, some of which belonged to the firms.
In January 1661 a treaty was concluded between England and Turkey, in which the
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. , precis 1646—1846.
In May 1846 the Nitocris was brought to Bom
bay in order to be repaired.
Lettre du Grand Vizir au Pacha de Baghdad en date, du 2 Avril 1S46.
un Rapport dont la teneur suit.