'File No. II/8 Foreign Dept Memoranda of Information re. affairs in Turkish Arabia. Nov '07 --' [‎40r] (79/110)

ONFIDENTIAL
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. .
224. (Vide para. 209 of the Memorandum
the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. reported that a reception
was held by him on the occasion of His
Majesty’s Birthday (9th November). Hitherto
the only Turkish subjects seen at these recep
tions have been as a rule the Vali and some
times the Comraander-in-Chief. This year,
however, the Consul-General’s reception was
attended by a deputation of persons selected
by various classes of Turkish Ottoman Society,
including representatives of the Ottoman
Club, the Committee of Union and Progress,
the Baghdad Press, the O dicers, the Doctors,
the Chamber of Commerce, the Kurdish
Society, and the Ulemas. An address was
read in Turkish expressing gratitude at the
action of Great Britain in connection with the
reform movement. The members of the deput
ation asked if there would be any objection to
their sending a congratulatory telegram to His
Majesty’s Secretary of State for Poreigh Affairs.
The Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. replied that he knew of
none. »
In addition to the formal address a number
of short impromptu speeches were made
emphasising the confidence which the people of
Turkey feit in the friendship of the British
Government.
During the day the Turkish steamers on
the river were decorated with flags, and in the
evening one of the steamers was illuminated
and brought down to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. where it
was anchored. Some of the gentlemen who
had come to the reception in the morning came
again to the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , and more friendly
speeches were made.
225. ( Vide para. 208 of the Memoran-
Viait of the Mir of dum for November
Khairpur to Baghdad. 1908.) Major Ramsay
reported on the 16th November that he had
heard that His Britannic Majesty’s Consul
at Basra and the Commander of H.M.S.
“Lapwing” paid official calls on His High
ness the Mir of Khairpur, but that His High
ness left Basra without returning the calls.
He was treated with great, indeed excessive,
consideration by the Turkish authorities, hut,
unfortunately, the Mir appeared to have no
one with him capable of making proper
arrangements. Visitors of position were
received at his camp without any semblance
of formality. Major Ramsay was away from
Baghdad when His Highness arrived, but went
to see his sons (or nephews ?) and had to force
his way through a crowd of dirty ill-dressed
followers and pilgrim agents. The Political
Bitaation in Baghdad.
for November 19(8.)
On the 10th November,