'Navigation on the rivers of Mesopotamia' [‎30v] (6/8)

o, the 14th June the WaK aske.1 the Resident to prevent the steamers of Messrs. Lynch
and Co. from entering the Tigris. Colonel Tweedie replied that tins was a matter of serious
importance, which could not be settled locally, and that he would report the case to Govern
ment. On receipt of his telegraphic report, the Embassy at Constantinople at once adoiessed
Hip Porte on the subject, but no immediate orders were issued, and the vv an threatened to stop
the steamers by force. As the question was to be decided at Constantinople, the Government
of India did not interfere beyond calling- the attention of Her Majesty’s Government to the
case and suggesting that the case of the Comet should be negotiated at the same time.
On the &Sth June the steamer Mosoul was prevented from shipping her cargo, and the
A-nmt of the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company was informed that the steamers
would not in future be allowed, to load or discharge. On the same date the Wall informed the
Itesident that a telegram from Constantinople prohibited Itnglish steamers from entering the
Tigris. In reply, .the Resident once more referred to the negotiations going on at Constanti
nople, and asked for delay pending final orders. To this the Wali replied as follows :—■
“ In reply to your letter No. 54 of 28th instant, I have the honor to repeat intimation already made to you
that, as Lynch and. Company’s privilege applies to Euphrates only, the Ottoman Government have finally
prohibited their Iceeping steamers on Tigris, and that it is therefore impossible to further the views stated in
your letter.
“ 2. Previous loi ters have informed you that Lynch and Company have permission to run two steamers on
the Euphrates, but not on the Tigris.
“ Their steamer Mejidwh, which came up to Baghdad from Busra on this occasion, having reached Baghdad
before issfie of final orders, will be permitted to discharge her cargo. But I take this opportunity to inform you
that final orders have been given to the Captain of our steamer at Gurna, and others ; that henceforward it is
requisite that no cargo should he given to Lynch’s steamers ; also that, should they desire to run cn the Tigris
and come up again to Baghdad, it will be necessary to obstruct (stand before) them and give them no way to enter
the Tigris. ,
Colonel Twfcedie then called the "Wall’s attention to the serious consequences which might
ensue, if he enforced his orders, a.id to the inconveuienee which would be caused by stopping
steamers carrying the English mail. To this the Wali replied that he merely carried out the
orders he had received, and that the mails could easily be carried by Turkish steamers.
The following, letter from the Agents of Messrs. Lynch and Co. will show the measures
subsequently taken by the AN ali:—-
Bated 6th July 1883,
From—The Manager, Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company,
To— Colonel W. Tweedie, Officiating Consul-General, Baghdad.
We have the honor to report, for your information, that at noon yesterday six Zaptiehs were placed on
hoard the S. 8. Mejidieh, and forcibly prevented her taking any cargo or passengers on hoard, or holding any
communication with anybody other than the ship’s own crew. At all the usual landing places Zaptiehs were
also stationed for a similar purpose. Towards evening the crew were prevented from ta,king their provisions
on board preparatory to starting for Busra this morning, and many of them were ill-treated, as also were five
grpenters in our pay and employed by us to work in Busra. These latter, after being placed on board by
one of your Cavasses, were again turned out of the ship by Zaptiehs, and eventually went on board, as you are
aware, with your kind permission, in the mail boat from the 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. . The Commander’s luggage was
stopped going on board, and in fact, though we made no attempt whatever to take a single package or passenger,
.we were subjected all day to such annoyances by the Zaptiehs that, although ail employed on boaid our steamers
have strict orders to avoid any breach of the peace, no matter what happens, we are in constant fear of
somebody losing their temper and doing soinething which we should all very much regret, and . which might
prove the spark to ignite the intense excitement caused by the action of • the Turkish authorities towards our
steamers.
We have the honor to bring to your notice the action of the local authorities towards our Steamer Mejidieh
which has just left for Busra.
Having been verbally informed'by the customs authorities that the above vessel would not be allowed to
take in any cargo, we wrote to the Custom House Master oh 3rd instant to know if such was the case, and, if so,
the reason for his prohibition, as we had duly discharged the steamer and otherwise conformed with existing
regulations. To this letter we received no reply, though we made"application for it.
As we aet here as-Agents for this Company, we felt bound to protect ourselves by"giving the usual notice
of our intention to ship cargo, and asking permission for it to he passed through the customs. This “ Irzahal ”
was returned to our clerk with the answer that it could not be accepted, but any written reply was resolutely
refused. Native merchants also were prevented from shipping anything by our steamer, Customs Officer hein’o-
sent to-accompany all goods cleared through the customs on board the Turkish steamer Phrat. As described
elsewhere, passengers were also forcibly prevented from going on board our steamer, so consequently she left
this mormng with Her Britannic Majesty’s mails, quite empty and so light that she is dangerous for navigation.
• circumstances, we beg to enter, for such aetiqn as you may deem fit, the strongest protest
against thi^ unjustifiable treatment of our steamers which have plied on this river for upwards of twenty-one
years, during which time they have always carried any Turkish Government despatches free of charge for
wmch we have stopped at all stations on the river. Customs receipts from Busra, Coot, and Amarah, amount
ing to large sums, have also been regularly, conveyed without expense# and in short, we have always done all
in our power to reciprocate the privilege accorded to us by the Ottoman Government, and which is now
threatened to be suddemy wrested from us.
Me are under heavy contracts with merchants here for conveyance of-cargo to Busra; and have chartered
scrim, fo , r which ’ ful1 01 ' n ?> we shall have to pay ; and the most
action herein -■ r] 1 '' W l '! llse ’/ or " ailc * fm-all other loss sustained by the Company in consequence of the
tSclaffi we venlurc J ’l W6 i, n ° wil1 ™tually P«t forward a claim ta damages, and
. these claims, we venture to hope, will receive the full support of Her Majesty’s Government.