File 3047/1909 'Railways: Asiatic Turkey; railway construction in Asia Minor' [‎98r] (200/368)

[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
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WITH reference to my telegram No. 27 of to-day’s date, I have the honour to
forward herewith an article from the “ Yeni Gazeta ” on the subject of Messrs. Glasgow
and Chester’s railway schemes.
THE press has up to now not paid sufficient attention to these American schemes.
But in view of the importance of the subject, and of the fact that Mr. Chester s scheme
is now being examined by a special committee of Ministers, it would be as well to
discuss it a little. i j j x xt.
During Nouradounghian’s ministry Mr. Glasgow put forward a demand tor me
concession of various lines:— . , ,
1 . From Sivas to Van, passing Kharput, Argam, Diarbekir, Biths, and the north
or south side of Lake Van. * ,
2. From a point to be decided on the Sivas railway to I imourtalik, down the
Djihan valley.
3. From a point on the Diarbekir line to Mosul, Kerkuk, and Suleimameh.
Chester’s scheme in our opinion is merely a continuation of this.
The Americans will build the lines without kilometric guarantee, but they demand
the right to work all mines 20 kilom. on each side of the railroad ; and these mines are,
with the exception of the copper mine at Argani, all petroleum. That is, the Standard
Oil Company wants to lay its hands on these mines, not to work them, but to prevent
others working them, and spoiling their monopoly. Thus, under the idea that we were
only getting a railroad without guarantee, we should be saving the Standard Oil
Company from the danger facing it, the danger that some other company should work
our mines and undersell the Standard Oil Company. We hope that the Munster of
Public Works has realised this.
Apart from this, we are inclined to regard these schemes as a monster speculation :
we can hardly take as serious the proposal to build a railway, costing perhaps
20 000,000L, in a country which the promoters have had so little time to survey. We
will leave this side of the question for another article. As Mr. Chesters plan differs
very slightly from Mr. Glasgow’s, our remarks on the latter may equally well apply to
the former.
[2643 y —1]
ASUTIC TURKEY AND ARABIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[February 22.]
Section 1.
[6235]
No. 1
(No. 95.)
Sir,
Sir G. Lowther to Sir Edward Grey.—(Received February 22.)
J Constantinople, February 18, 1910.
I have, &c.
GERARD LOWTHER.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Extract from the “ Yeni Gazeta ” of the \7th February, 1910.
Glasgow and Chester’s Railway Schemes.