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File 3047/1909 'Railways: Asiatic Turkey; railway construction in Asia Minor' [‎44r] (92/368)

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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£ 3 ...
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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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ASIATIC TURKEY AND ARABIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
^VED
26 0 OT 1 9 1 ^ t
[October 17.]
Section 3.
^[37526]
No. 1.
Sir G. Lowther to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received October 17.)
(No. 706.)
Sir, Constantinople, October 6 , 1910.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith copies of two despatches which I have
received respectively from His Majesty’s consular officers at Kharput and Erzeroum on
the subject of the American Trans-Anatolian Railway scheme.
i I have, &c.
GERARD LOWTHER.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Vice-Consul Matthews to Sir G. Lowther.
(No. 36.)
Sir, Kharput, August 23, 1910.
IN continuation of my despatch No. 30 of the 8 th instant, I have the honour to
report, for your Excellency’s information, that Mr. J. W. Colt, with his two assistants,
M. Kischki (?), a German mining expert, and Kenan Bey, a Turk, whose duty appears
to be to interview local officials, proceeded on the 10th instant from Kharput, by way
of the Gioljuk Lake and Arghani Maden, to Diarbekir, whence they departed on the
16th instant for Bit!is. After Bitlis it is intended to visit A T an and Mosul.
Mr. Colt has written enthusiastically of the possibilities of the Arghani copper
mines. The output of these mines is exported to the United Kingdom; in 1909
45,000L worth of copper was extracted. He regards Diarbekir as the most promising
province for exploitation by the projected railway. If coal is discovered, the question
of fuel will be simplified. It is hoped that in Mosul it may be possible to use the local
petroleum for fuel.
I understand that the Chester group are prepared to finance the proposed Turkish
railway from Sivas to Samsun, as it is important that their projected line (Sivas-
Diarbekir-Bitlis-Van-Mosul) should he connected with a Black Sea port.
I have, &c.
W. D. W. MATTHEWS.
■! 'jll r
Pt! M
(t | if HI 1
ill
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
Consul McGregor to Sir G. Lowther.
(No. 70.)
Si rj Erzeroum, September 19, 1910.
I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith copy of a despatch addressed to me by
Mr. Safrastian, acting vice-consul at Bitlis, on the subject of the visit paid to that town
by Mr. Colt, who is at present engaged in carrying out a survey for the proposed
Trans-Anatolian Railway.
I have, &c.
P. J. C. McGREGOR.
Enclosure 3 in No. 1.
Acting Vice-Consul Safrastian to Consul McGregor.
gi r Bitlis, September 7, 1910.
’ I HAVE the honour to report that three weeks ago some American engineers
arrived here from Diarbekir on their way to A an and C onstantmople through
Caucasus.
[2930 r—3]
COPY TO il , \
S (3>c A

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' [‎44r] (92/368), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/166, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100030544745.0x00005d> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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