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File 3136/1914 Pt 2 ‘German War. Situation in Turkish Arabia & Persian Gulf’ [‎12v] (31/504)

The record is made up of 1 volume (248 folios). It was created in 1 Oct 1914-8 Dec 1914. 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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6
protracted discussion, we agreed to leave matters in the hands of the Um e a es
Ambassador, who undertook to use all his influence to procure the ^clepaituie o our
fellow subjects on the following day. The “ sous-chef de protocole or me u nne
Porte and the “chef de cabinet particulier” of the Ministry of f oreign Aflans were sen
to bid farewell to M. Bompard and myself at the railway station, and two Secretaries
of the Political Department of the Ministry accompanied us to the frontier.
It would be impossible to exaggerate the assistance which I have received from
Mr. Morgenthau, the United States Ambassador. During the last two days
especially the difficulties arising out of the abnormality of the situation would have
been immeasurably greater had it not been for his invaluable help and his untiring
efforts on behalf of myself and my staff. We are heavily indebted not only to
Mr. Morgenthau himself, but to every member of the United States Embassy. It is
entirely owing to their exertions that the British and French subjects who were
detained at the station on the night of my departure were allowed to leave on the
following evening.
Before concluding this despatch I desire also to place on record my sense of the
cheerful courage displayed by the British community in Constantinople, as well as in
other towns, during the whole of this trying period. A large proportion of them have
suffered severely in their business from the instability of the situation in Turkey.
Many have suffered heavily and more directly by the military requisitions which from
the beginning of August were carried out in an inconceivably arbitrary manner. By
the suppression of the Capitulations all saw themselves deprived at a moment’s
notice of the secular privileges which had hitherto secured the persons and the property
of foreigners against caprice and injustice. But they have one and all faced these
adversities with a reasonable and manly fortitude.
Shortly after my return to my post, I recommended those British subjects who
applied to me for advice to send home, when opportunity offered, those members of
their families who had no particular reason to stay in the country;
A certain number left during the autumn, and many have left since. Those who
have chosen to stay, or who have not been in a position to leave, remain under the
protection of the United States Ambassador. As regards the British community at
Bagdad, I instructed the acting British consul-general at Bagdad, early in October,
to charter a steamer for the conveyance to the coast of any British subjects who might
wish to leave. A large number of British and British-Indian subjects availed themselves
of this opportunity.
I cannot conclude this report without calling your attention to the zeal shown by
the junior members of my staff, including Mr. Ovey, Lord Gerald Wellesley, Mr. Charles
Lister, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Wilson, Mr.Astell, and by Mr. Fuller, Archivist to His Majesty’s
Embassy, in the performance of their duties in the Chancery, as well as to the able and
conscientious work of the members of the Dragomanate and consulate-general.
The Chancery was greatly assisted by the voluntary help kindly offered to them by
Judge Cator, the ftev. Canon Whitehouse, Chaplain to His Majesty’s Embassy,
and by Dr. Clemow, Physician to His Majesty’s Embassy, as well as by Mr. Weakley,
Commercial Attache.
_ I need not do more than refer to the work of Lieutenant-Colonel Cunliffe Owen,
Military Attache to His Majesty s Embassy, whose information respecting the military
preparations was often obtained with considerable difficulty.
• ^ S J 10U 1 ( I ^6 to place on record my high appreciation of the conduct of His
Majesty s consular officers throughout the Ottoman Empire during the whole period of
the crisis. They one and all performed their often difiicult duties with zeal and
discretion. I was especially indebted to Mr. Cumberbatch, His Maiesty’s consul-
genera! at Beirut, Mr. Heathcote Smith, acting British consul-general at Smyrna and
to Mr. Palmer, vice-consul at the Dardanelles, for the valuable information which they
sunn hen.
a 4 .- ^ ^^ould wish to bring to your particular notice the services rendered by Mr Byan
Actmg First Dragoman of His Majesty’s Embassy. His ability, knowledge of Turkey’
sound judgment and untiring industry, were of invaluable assistance to me, and ale
deserving of your special commendation.
I have, &e.
LOUIS MALLET.

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Content

Papers concerning events in Mesopotamia and in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , leading up to and immediately after the outbreak of war between Great Britain and Turkey. The file is a chronological continuation of File 3136/1914 Pt 1 ‘German War. Situation in Turkish Arabia A term used by the British officials to describe the territory roughly corresponding to, but not coextensive with, modern-day Iraq under the control of the Ottoman Empire. & Persian Gulf’ (IOR/L/PS/10/462). Subjects covered include:

  • Concerns amongst British officials that Turkey will lay mines in the Shatt al-Arab.
  • Reports of the spreading of anti-British and pro-German propaganda by Turkish officials, including an undated manifesto (translated into English from Arabic) issued by an organisation called the Moslem Committee of Learned Men (ff 139-143).
  • British intelligence on the movements, actions and correspondence exchanged between the region’s most prominent rulers and key figures, including the former Governor (Wali) of Basra, Seyyid Talib [Saiyid Talib ibn Saiyid Rajab], the Emir of Najd and Al-Aḥsā, Bin Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and the Turkish Minister of War, Ismail Enver Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
  • Reports on public opinion amongst the Arab populations of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and proposed British propaganda measures, including plans to distribute copies of the Illustrated War News to the various rulers in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (ff 199-203).
  • The breaking-off of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Turkey on 30 October 1914.
  • Reports, submitted by Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Zachariah Cox, Chief Political Officer of Indian Expeditionary Force D (IEFD), on the progress of IEFD at Basra, including reports of military action at Fao [Al-Fāw], (f 56, f 65, ff 67-68, ff 116-120, f 123).
  • The death of Captain Richard Lockington Birdwood, Assistant Political Officer to Cox, at Basra, on 17 November 1914 (ff 90-91).
  • Reports of anti-British propaganda and activities at Erzeroum [Erzurum], as reported by the city’s British Consul (ff 84-89, ff 103-104).
  • Proposals, including those set out in a letter written by Captain Arnold Talbot Wilson of the Indian Political Department, to the British Consul at Mohammerah [Khorramshahr], dated 28 November 1914 (ff 14-17) for Mesopotamia to become an Indian colony after the war.

The file’s principal correspondents include: the 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. (John Evelyn Shuckburgh; Edmund George Barrow; Arthur Hirtzel); the Foreign Office (Eyre Alexander Barby Wichart Crowe; Louis du Pan Mallet); the Chief Political Officer of IEFD (Percy Zachariah Cox).

The file includes a small number of copies of diplomatic exchanges between the British, Ottoman and Persian Governments ( notes verbale ), which are written in French.

Extent and format
1 volume (248 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.

The subject 3136 (German War) consists of 6 volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/462-467. The volumes are divided into 6 parts, with each part comprising one volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 248; 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.

A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
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File 3136/1914 Pt 2 ‘German War. Situation in Turkish Arabia & Persian Gulf’ [‎12v] (31/504), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/463, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036675431.0x000020> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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