File 1202/1912 'Arabia:- Travellers. Capt. F. F Hunter. Herr Runkiar (Danish Expedition). Capt Shakespear.' [‎116v] (237/358)

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.W
Y .—Turkish Affairs.
1. The activity of the Turkish Treasury in seeking additional sources of revenue is
making itself felt in various ways even in this remote province.
Towards the end of January an order was received from Constantinople by the
vali of Bagdad, directing him in future to recover a tax on house property at the rate
of 4 per cent, on the value of houses personally occupied by the owners, and at the
rate of 8 per cent, on houses kept for letting. This is a new tax and its introduction is
resentecb
I am informed that the Treasury have lodged a claim to the Saiyafieh* reserved
“forest” on the right bank of the Tigris near Ctesiphon, which is somehowJn the
possession of the artillery of the 6th Army Corps, but to which, it is said, the
Department of Religious Endowments and a private landowner (Ibn Jamil) also assert
titles.
An extensive tract of country on the left bank near the same place, viz., from the
lower end of Kusaibah to the upper end of Safi, and including the Ctesiphon ruins, has
hitherto been regarded as wakf, or a trust, in favour of the shrine of Suleiman Pak,
which is situated in it.
These lands have now been appropriated by the Treasury on the ground that there
is not sufficient evidence of the existence of a trust ; and the Mutawallis or trustees of
the shrine have been referred to the Law Courts for redress, whereas it is the Treasury
who ought, according to law, to have sued the Mutawallis for possession. The members
of the administrative council of the vali of Bagdad are said to have disapproved, with
the exception of the defterdar, who is the provincial representative of the Treasury, of
the high-handed seizure of the lands; and it is evident that the Nakib of Bagdad, at
least, must view with alarm the apparent leaning of the new Government of Turkey
towards a secularisation of religious endowments in this province. The Mutawallis have
alreadly instituted proceedings.
2. At the beginning of February the vali of Bagdad received a cypher telegram
from the Ministry of War, in which he was ordered not to publish any news about
mobilisation and other military movements, and to prevent, so far as possible,
references to such matters in the press. This may possibly have been due to articles
which appeared sometime ago in the local newspapers upon the unsuccessful “ Mun-
tafik ” operations.
On the 2nd February another telegram came from the Ministry of War, for
bidding military officers to take part in politics or to write to the newspapers. This
second fiat has extinguished the local journal “ Bark,” which was edited by military
officers.
3. It is reported that Nazim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , who is destined to the valiship of Bagdad,
and to the command of the 6th Army Corps, has selected at Constantinople over 100
young and capable military officers for employment under his orders in “Najd”(ie.,
probably Hasa), and in the campaigns against Sheikh Barazani and the “ Muntafik.”
It is also stated that the Ministry of War has agreed,| on Nazim Pasha’s advice,
to the formation of a telegraph (engineer) company to be attached to the 6th
Army Corps.
4. An attempt is being made in the three vilayets of this province to induce civil
officials, military officers, and Turkish subjects generally to subscribe money for the
improvement of theTurkish fleet. It is stated that the mutessarif (commissioner) of
Karbala has for this purpose withheld, or attempted to withhold, a month’s pay from all
his immediate subordinates, and that most of them object strongly to his doing so.
5. Reorganisation and reform of the gendarmerie of the Bagdad, Bussorah, and
Musal vilayets are proceeding apace. It seems that the Board described in my last
Summary (V, 7) as a board of reorganisation is intending to be permanent; but that
the European adviser, who is now visiting Bussorah, will remain only so long as the
Government considers his retention necessary.
There is, it appears, a separate gendarmerie board for each vilayet, consisting of
the senior gendarmerie officers of the local force ; but (Colonel) Nuri Bey at Bagdad,
who belongs to the army, is president of all three boards.
Conditions of employment and service in the gendarmerie have now been laid down
* See my Tour Journal, No. 1 , of 1910 under date of February 13. It is said to have been seized by
Sabri Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , a former commandant of the artillery, partly for his own private benefit and partly for that of
f>
his corps. See Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer, vol. ii.
f It already exists on paper. See Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer, vol. ii, p. 870.