File 3047/1909 'Railways: Asiatic Turkey; railway construction in Asia Minor' [‎180r] (364/368)

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Mr. H. V. Skinner to Sir Edward Grey.
Sir
Auf Eichberg, Lauterbach (Hessen), Germany,
September 7, 1908.
BY forwarding the inclosed newspaper cutting,* I do not infer that the contents
of this article are in any way correct, as it may only be the usual spiteful outlet of a
feeling which at present so many German papers, even those of a very high standing,
have and publish against England. But should there be some truth in what this
article states, I think it then my duty, as a true Englishman and supporter of His
Majesty’s Government, to state such facts as have come under my personal notice,
leaving it to His Majesty’s Eoreign Office to make use of such information as may be
considered advisable.
The fact that the German Government, in the interest of its trade and commerce
as well as its political standard, is making every endeavour to gain the firmest footing
everywhere throughout Turkey and Asia Minor cannot be denied, I can substantiate
this fact by experience gained through a long sojourn in Asia Minor, and by keeping
in close touch with it yet. It is also a fact that English influence is on the decrease
on account of the former, and something ought to be done to recover lost ground.
This can be best accomplished by means of railways, harbour works, and enterprises
of a similar nature as these.
Now, if it is correct what is stated in the inclosed article, that it has been the
intention of His Majesty’s Government to build a railway from Alexandriette, with
Cyprus as a basis for this undertaking, I should like to point out that though such
a railway to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. could not be well constructed by the British Govern
ment, it could be done easily enough by means of a British Company, if instead of
Alexandriette the town of Tripolis were chosen as a starting point.
Tripolis is far more suitable for this purpose than Alexandriette, on account of its
harbour being the best on the whole Syrian coast, and which, with a comparatively
small outlay of capital, could be turned info a most magnificent harbour capable of
holding the largest fleet, whereas Alexandriette is anything but a good harbour.
The distance from any point of Cyprus to Tripolis is also much less than to
Alexandriette, which is clearly an advantage.
There is at present an excellent opportunity for carrying out the aforesaid railway
by taking up the Concession from Tripolis to Homs, and from thence to Deir on the
Euphrates, carrying it along this river to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
This Euphrates Railway, as it might be called, would in a great measure counter
balance any advantages which the Germans may derive from the construction of
the Bagdad Railway, and it will have the greater advantage, for whereas this railway
has no open seaport, Constantinople being a closed port, the Euphrates Railway has
as its starting point a splendid harbour on the open sea, the Mediterranean, which is
only a few hours distance from all the EgyjAian ports and the Suez Canal, making the
harbour of Tripolis and also the railway of immense strategical value in times of
peace and war for obvious reasons. The importance of its commercial value, once the
Mediterranean is connected with the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , is so great and known so well that
I need not make any further comments upon this point.
The question how this undertaking is to be accomplished, I will briefly answer
thus:—
Influential people in good financial positions in Tripolis approached me (vide
annexed letter*) last year to take up this scheme and form an English Company. I
took this business to a firm of very high standing in London, i.e., Messrs. Carlton,
Greig, and Co., 16, Tokenhouse Yard, Lothbury, who thought of carrying it out jointly
with a well-known contractor, Captain Lowther, brother of the Speaker in the House
of Parliament. UnfortuDately the business fell through for some pecuniary reasons.
Not priuted.
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