'Report and Proceedings of the Standing Sub-Committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence on the Persian Gulf' [‎13v] (31/94)

LORD CURZON : Will not dues in future be required to pay the expense of
dredging ?
SIR ARTHUR WILSON : There is sure to be some expense to keep that channel
where it is. The channel has improved itself, but there is no reason why that channel
should remain permanent; anyhow, if there is to be continuous traffic, it will require
annual surveys to see that it is not altering, and probably some engineering operations
to prevent changes taking place and so on. There must be some expense entailed.
SIR EDWARD GREY: With the port at Basra there is sure to be expense.
SIR ARTHUR WILSON : And it may be a large expense.
SIR EDWARD GREY: It may be a large expense for keeping the navigation
open and in proper condition.
SIR ARTHUR WILSON : The expense at the mouth of the river must increase
too, and that must be raised by dues.
LORD CURZON : Is there a very strong feeling entertained against a Joint
Commission ?
SIR EDWARD GREY: It gives a footing to the Germans, for instance, in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , obviously, if there is a Commission on which they are represented ; and
it gives a footing to other people.
VISCOUNT MORLEY : Unless it is limited, as I think Admiral Slade suggests,
to Turkey, Persia, and Great Britain.
SIR EDWARD GREY : But then we should not be able to levy dues on foreign
ships, or at least on German ships.
SIR ARTHUR WILSON : The Turks and Persians could, either one or the
other.
SIR EDWARD GREY: They could do it, but Great Britain should have some
control.
SIR ARTHUR WILSON : We want an agreement with Turkey and Persia that
we shall have a joint Committee to control the expenditure.
SIR EDWARD GREY : Our difficulty is to get some control over this, and yet to
make other people pay without their having any share of the control. It is very
difficult to make those two ends meet.
SIR WILLIAM NICHOLSON : Would it do any harm if Germany got into the
Gulf? What would be the diplomatic effect of Germany gaining a footing in the
Gulf?
SIR EDWARD GREY : Or being on a Commission like this that we are
talking of?
VISCOUNT MORLEY : There is the language, which was approved by Lord
Curzon at all events, used by Sir Charles Dilke, who said we ought to have in the Gulf
not only paramount but monopoly interest.
LORD CURZON : Politically.
VISCOUNT MORLEY : We have had it of course, and it will be a great pity if
we lose it. But if we are going to maintain it, which perhaps is the right view, then,
of course, Germany is out of it.
VISCOUNT KITCHENER : I do not see how Germany can resist the claim of
Turkey and Persia combined, to demand dues in their own territory and their own
waters.
SIR EDWARD GREY : I do not think she would; but if we are represented on
the control of the navigation she would claim to be represented too. She would say she
would not pay dues to a Commission on which we were represented unless she also had