'Territorial re-adjustments. Extract from Secret Letter from the Government of India, No 85, dated 29 September 1916' [‎95r] (1/4)

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This Docjiment is the property of the Secretary nj State for India .
B. 242.
SECRET.
TERRITORIAL READJUSTMENTS.
Extract from Secret Letter from the Government
No. 85, dated 29th September 191G.
of India,
Jn our Foreign Department secret telegram of the 7th September 19Jf>
we had the honour to submit a summary of our views on the points raised
in your telegram of the 21st August 1916 in connection with the post bellum
disposal of captured territories. It was, however, obviously impossible for
us within the compass of a telegram to state fully our provisional views on
these important questions. We shall accordingly in this despatch endeavour
to state in extenso our opinions—
(1) Regarding the surrender or retention of such captured territories as
affect Indian interests.
(2) Regarding obsolete Treaty rights and territorial readjustments
vis-d-vis our Allies.
(M) Regarding the proposed readjustment of the boundary of the Aden
Protectorate and our future policy generally in that neighbourhood.
1 Enclosure to letter No. 22, dated the
1st June 1916, from the Secretary, Political
Department, 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. .
2. As regards the first point, viz., the question of the retention or
surrender of captured territories or territories likely to be captured, the only
territories of this kind that affect Indian interests are, we think, Iraq and
German East Africa.
In regard to the former, wo understand from the memorandum prepared
by the Foreign Office in May 1 1916,
that an agreement has been concluded
between Great Britain, France and
Russia respecting Asiatic Turkey
whereby a definite area, comprising the Basrah and Baghdad Vilayats, has
been assigned to Great Britain, wherein “Great Britain shall be allowed to
“ establish such direct or indirect administration or control as it desires and
“ as it may think fit to arrange with the Arab State or confederation of Arab
“ States.” We conclude, therefore, that this area is to be retained by Great
Britain under either direct or indirect administration, and that there is no
question of surrendering it for purposes of bargaining either with our
Allies or with the enemy, and we trust that we are correct in this conclusion.
It is unnecessary here to put forward any suggestions as to the form or
forms of administration eventually to be established in this area, as such
suggestions would be alien to the present discussion. But as Indian
interests—political, commercial and military—must be intimately affected by
the eventual decision on this point, we trust we shall be fully consulted
before such decision is arrived at.
As regards German East Africa, that territory has been regarded in many
quarters here as offeiing fin .admirable field for Indian expansion, and hopes
have been expressed that, whatever may be the future administration of that
country, arrangements will be made to admit ol Indian emigration on equitable
terms. Similar hopes have been expressed in regard to Iraq, but we foresee
that there may be serious drawbacks in connection with the idea of Indian
colonisation in that region. This makes it the more important that Indian
expansion should find an outlet in German East Africa. India’s needs in
this respect have already been felt and will be felt more acutely in futuie.
The provision of such a field of expansion would go far to solve some of the
existing problems with regard to our surplus population. We trust this
opportunity may not be let slip. No other territory is so suitable for Indian
colonisation, none other so convenient of access, and there is already a
considerable Indian population settled in the vicinity. We are not in a
position to make any representation as to the future disposal or administra
tion of German East Africa, but we most earnestly trust that this matter
will be pressed and that the claims of India to the widest colonisation rights
in what is now German East Africa will be strongly urged.
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