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File 3047/1909 'Railways: Asiatic Turkey; railway construction in Asia Minor' [‎38r] (80/368)

The record is made up of 1 volume (182 folios). It was created in 1908-1911. It was written in English and French. 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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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government]
(No. 46. Confidential.)
Sir, Peru, January 17, 1911.
WITH reference to your telegram No. 13 of the 14th instant, to which I briefly
replied in my telegram No. 12 of yesterday, I have the honour to report that 1 have
learnt from the Russian charge d’affaires that the application of the Russo-1 rench
group, represented here by M. Sallandrouze de Lamornaix, to obtain the concession for
the Samsoun-Sivas Railway has been consistently and warmly supported by the
Russian Embassy, and in his opinion the group could not be considered to have
definitely withdrawn. M. Swetchine personally thought that their chances of success
were small, but he felt that the Turks regarded any application in which Russian
capita] was interested for railway construction from the shores of the Black Sea with
disfavour, and consequently, when he heard of the Anglo-Russian syndicate through
M. Monchanoff he had not attached very much importance to it. M. Monchanoff, he
added, was a very wealthy man, and one of the largest shareholders in the Russian
Compagnie de Navigation de la Mer Noire.
From other sources I have learnt that as no one had come forward to undertake
the construction of the entire railway on the terms desired by the Turkish Government,
the Ministry of Public Works had decided to contract for the building of the first
90 Idiom, of the line in small sections of 10 kilom. each, and it was announced in the
press a day or two ago that a Turkish contractor who had been employed on the 1 ledjaz
Railway had undertaken the first section, it would seem that it is this action of the
Public Works Department that has led the Euxine and Marmora syndicate to infer that
the Russo-French group has abandoned its efforts to obtain the concession. It is
doubtful, however, whether this procedure will be practicable for the entire railway,
for although the first 40 or 50 kilom. present no engineering difficulties whatever, the
line afterwards enters hilly country, where heavy work necessitating more expensive
plant than a native contractor could command will be required. It is also very
improbable that Turkish finances could bear the strain ol so considerable an under-
In this connection I may mention that Mr. Chandos Stanhope, who is now in
Constantinople, has been studying the possibilities of this railway, but he has declined
to reveal on whose behalf he is working. He is, however, about to leave C onstantinople
owing to the state of his health.
(Very Confidential.)
I gathered from what M. Swetchine said that he himself is persuaded that the
group represented by M. Lamornaix has absolutely no chance of obtaining the conces
sion, but that the Russian Ambassador is of a different opinion, and will on his return
actively resume his efforts on their behalf.
To judge from recent articles in the press, there is a strong anti-Russian feeling
here at present, and it may well be questioned whether the present Government would
care to run counter to it by granting a concession, even for the construction ol a railway
in the regions in question, to a Russian, or partly Russian, syndicate.
I have, &c.
CHARLES M. MARLING.
ASIATIC TURKEY AND ARABIA.
[January 23.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 1.
12486]
No. 1.
Mr. Marling to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received January 23.)
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[1851 z—l]

About this item

Content

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes relating to the construction of railways in Asiatic Turkey, 1908-1911, as well as oil concessions in Mesopotamia.

Correspondence outlines the proposal to develop a railway from Tripoli via Homs and Deir and along the Euphrates to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , to compete with the Baghdad Railway. The company was designated 'The Anglo-Syrian Tripoli - Homs Railway and Tripoli Harbour Improvement Company'.

Correspondence also discusses the different consortia bidding for oil concessions in Mesopotamia and the relative significance of French, Russian and German involvement. Included in the volume is a letter (folios 49 - 153) from William Knox D'Arcy giving a 'List of Turkish concessions connected with oil now being sought'.

The principal correspondents in the volume include the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Edward Grey) and the Ambassador to Constantinople (Sir Gerard Lowther).

Extent and format
1 volume (182 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The subject 3047 (Railways: Asiatic Turkey) consists of 1 volume,

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 178; 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.

The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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File 3047/1909 'Railways: Asiatic Turkey; railway construction in Asia Minor' [‎38r] (80/368), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/166, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100030544745.0x000051> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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