'File No. II/8 Foreign Dept Memoranda of Information re. affairs in Turkish Arabia. Nov '07 --' [‎35v] (70/110)

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to take the matter up, hut that, in the event
of their not being prepared to do so, other
firms might he informed rather than that this
opening for British enterprise should be lost.
On the 14th June, the Vice-Consul informed
Major Ramsay that there were rumours to
the effect that a French expert had been
engaged, hut that, in the course of convers
ation he had with Ibrahim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the head
of the Administration of the Imperial Domains,
the latter had twice stated that no decision
had yet been arrived at. On the 22nd July,
the Vice-Consul wrote to Major Ramsay to
the effect that the French expert was coming
to superintend the production of oil at Gayara,
and that the matter had been arranged on
the arrival of the expert at Aleppo. That
the name of the firm concerned appeared to be
Tassert and that, according to particulars
furnished by Ibrahim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , the contract was
for three months, and might he terminated at
the end of that period. Major Ramsay in for
warding the Vice-Consul’s reports to the Prin
cipal, Commercial Department, Intelligence
Branch, Board of Trade, London, on the 3rd
August, pointed out that information on
certain points, which would he considered
essential by any firm proposing to take up the
business, seemed to be lacking. As the
Vice-Consul intended going to Baghdad via
Gayara, Major Ramsay thought that it would
be well to await his report after a personal
inspection of the springs. It was added, how
ever, that the matter had been brought to the
notice of the British firms at Baghdad.