File 3531/1905 Pt 2 ‘Mesopotamia:- Navigation of Tigris + Euphrates; Euphrates + Tigris Steam Navigation Co; Hamidieh Co.’ [‎4r] (7/630)

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government,]
ASIATIC TURKEY AND ARABIA.
[November 7.J
CONFIDENTIAL.
[44015]
L 24NOVI91 I S
No. 1.
-
Section 3.
Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company to Foreign Office.—(Received
November 7.)
3, Salters' Hall Court, Gannon Street,
Si r? London, November 6, 1911.
WE have the honour to enclose herewith, for your information, copy of letter
from our Bagdad agents, dated the 30th September, regarding the running of our
reserve steamer.
We have, &c.
T. H. ROBERTS, Acting Secretary.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Messrs. Stephen Lynch and Co. to Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company.
Reserve Steamer.
SEVIAN BEY called yesterday and informed me that he had mentioned the
conversation, reported in my confidential note “ B ” with letter of the 25th instant, to
his Excellency the vali, and that he coidd not make any progress in regard to the
proposed arrangement to run the reserve steamer on terms similar to those proposed
in your telegram of the 14th instant.
His Excellency declines to permit us to run the steamer, but suggested that we
should agree to loan the Idara Nahrieh the reserve steamer to bring up their
accumulation and they should lend us a steamer to bring up our accumulated cargo
on mutual terms.
This proposal is put forward by the vali in order to support the principle that we
should not be allowed under any circumstances to extend our privileges on the river,
while endeavouring to show the mercantile community that he is trying to facilitate
the transport of their goods from Bussorah.
Neither Sevian Bey nor I consider this proposal a serious one ; moreover, we do
not think any workable arrangement can be made, as we should not get the loan of
a suitable steamer, nor should we be disposed to trust their officers and crew with the
carriage of cargo belonging to our shippers.
Under these circumstances I have agreed with Sevian Bey to let the matter rest
for the present, or until the vali is more reasonable in his views of the whole
question.
Mr. Whittall’s letter of the 23rd August addressed to the company, a copy of
which I have just received with your note “ A.,” letter of the 1st instant, confirms my
opinion that Djmel Bey is not straightforward in dealing with the matter.
He emphatically stated to me that he recognised the necessit} 7 of improving the
facilities of transport on the rivers, and I know from excellent authority that a petition
signed by all the most influential merchants in Bagdad has been presented to him,
pointing out the disabilities under which business is now carried on. The accumulation
of cargo at Bussorah fell to 2,700 tons with us and 1,700 tons with the Idara
administration on the 11th instant, and has now risen to 3,200 tons with us and
3,500 tons with them. Obviously a total of 6,700 tons of accumulated cargo at
Bussorah, while the steamers can only carry light loads, and are much delayed
en route with navigation difficulties and twenty-four hours’ quarantine at Bagdad,
proves the urgent necessity of employing all the steamers available to bring it
forward.
In the course of conversation I reminded Sevian Bey that a permission had been
granted to Agha Jaffar to run steamers on the Tigris, and that it was generally
believed that the permit would be used to the detriment of the steamers now running
on the river by creating unnecessary competition in freights.
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