Skip to item: of 818
Information about this record Back to top
Open in Universal viewer
Open in Mirador IIIF viewer

File 2764/1904 Pt 1 'Baghdad Railway: general negotiations 1904-07.' [‎200v] (409/818)

This item is part of

The record is made up of 1 volume (405 folios). It was created in 1903-1907. 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. .

Transcription

This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.

Apply page layout

3
2
-
In view of the Indian interests at stake, we felt sure that His Majesty’s
Government would not be likely to formulate any decision in regard to these
two matters, should discussion of the subject at any time take a practical form,
without consulting the Government of India, and we therefore abstained from
presenting our views on the question until a suitable opportunity should occur.
4. Prom information which has recently been furnished to us by His
Majesty’s Government, however, we see grave reason for apprehending
that the safeguards upon which we relied as a natural bulwark for our
interests are about to melt away leaving us isolated and exposed to all
the dangers which might be expected to result from the independent con
struction of the railway b^ our political rivals. In the first place, Sir N.
O’Conor in his despatch No. 249 (Confidential), to Sir E. Grey, dated the
12th April 190fi, stated that it was improbable that the Germans, if they
once surmounted the difficulties, financial and other, attending the con
struction of the line through the Taurus range, and reached the open plain
beyond it, would be willing to permit the participation of the British
Government in the scheme on favourable terms. His Excellency added
that, if the Germans were unable to obtain assistance for the Taurus section,
they might find themselves forced to seek another combination involving
less expenditure by avoiding the mountains, and by constructing a line
from Eregli, or from some point west of Eregli direct to Mersina, whence by
utilising the existing Mersina-Adana railway the line could be continued east
wards on the route originally planned. The fact that the Germans have
recently obtained a controlling interest in the Mersina-Adana line is an ominous
indication of the likelihood of the Company adopting the course foreshadowed
by Sir N. O’Conor. By this move not only have the Germans carried out the
condition of the contract requiring them to construct a line to the Mediterra
nean, but they have also secured a means of transporting material, rolling
stock, &c., wdiich will enable them to push on the construction of the line to
Baghdad without having to -wait for the piercing of the Taurus. Also,
although by the Baghdad Bail way Convention it is agreed that the Baghdad-
Basrah section shall not be exploited until the whole of the trunk line is
completed, yet this clause does not preclude the building and working of other
sections, and there is therefore nothing to prevent the Germans from building
and exploiting the whole of the line between Adana and Baghdad. Adana
could then be linked, if necessary, with Eregli when sufficient money had been
laid aside from loans and profits on construction ( f the Bagbdad-Adana sec
tions to overcome the difficulties of the mountain range.
5. But apart from the fact that German ingenuity has suggested a
method of evading, if not of solving the problem of the Cilician Gates, it
•Enclosure to despatch from Sir N. O’Conor to appears piobdble from Mr. Mark Sykes
sir Edward Giey, No. 187, dated the 20 th March Memorandum* of 1st M arch 1906, that
1906 ‘ German influence and German manipul
ation of Ottoman finance may enable the Company eventually to surmount
alone the financial difficulties which were at one time held likely to bar the
completion of the line by them without our assistance. On the whole it
seems probable that, if our participation in the scheme is much longer
delayed, we shall be unable to rely on the pecuniary embarrassment of the
Company as a factor in the situation inducing them to seek our assistance.
6. In the second place, we are disposed to doubt whether our position
with reference to the question of a terminus for the railway is as strong as
we were previously inclined to believe. It appears to have been the original
intention of the concessionaires that the line should terminate at a port on or
near the open sea, and some spot in the neighbourhood of Koweit appeared to
be indicated at first as a likely terminus. The financiers controlling the syndi
cate seem, however, to have cast about for the means of making themselves
independent of British assistance in the matter, and from the report of Captain
Mahon who was specially deputed last year to make an examination of all
possible termini, there would appear to be no reason why they should not
succeed in attaining their object. _ Captain Mahon is of opinion that there
are no engineering difficulties which would prevent Basrah from being made
the terminus of the line, and he thinks that it would provide a port capable

About this item

Content

The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, newspaper cuttings, maps and notes, relating to negotiations over the proposed Berlin to Baghdad Railway in the period 1903-1907.

The discussion in the volume relates to the economic, commercial, political and military considerations impinging on British strategy for the international negotiations over the development of a railway to Baghdad in particular as formulated in the Baghdad Railway Convention (1903) and the financial viability of the railway. The terms of possible British, French, Russian, Ottoman and German participation are debated including the Baghdad Railway Convention. Also discussed are the terms of loans made to the Persian Government and the desirability of ensuring that any extension from Baghdad to a terminus on the shores of the Gulf was controlled by Britain.

Further discussion surrounds the motivations and strategies of British competitors in the area. The volume features a copy (ff 385-396) of the text of the 'Baghdad Railway: Board of Trade Memorandum', a number of newspaper cuttings from German and British media, as well as seven maps.

The principal correspondents in the volume include the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne; Sir Edward Grey), His Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople (Sir Nicholas O'Connor), the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Charles Hardinge, Sir Thomas Henry Sanderson), the Under-Secretary of State for India (Earl Percy, Sir Arthur Godley), the Viceroy of India (Lord Curzon of Keddleston), the Secretary to the Political and Secret Department of 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. (Sir Richmond Richie) and the London Manager of the Imperial Bank of Persia (George Newell).

Each part includes a divider which gives the subject and part numbers, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references contained in that part by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.

Extent and format
1 volume (405 folios)
Arrangement

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

The subject 2764 (Bagdad Railway) consists of five volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/56-60. The volumes are divided into five parts with each part comprising one volume.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 405; 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.

Written in
English and French in Latin script
View the complete information for this record

Use and share this item

Share this item
Cite this item in your research

File 2764/1904 Pt 1 'Baghdad Railway: general negotiations 1904-07.' [‎200v] (409/818), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/56, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100045055810.0x00000a> [accessed 29 March 2024]

Link to this item
Embed this item

Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.

<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100045055810.0x00000a">File 2764/1904 Pt 1 'Baghdad Railway: general negotiations 1904-07.' [&lrm;200v] (409/818)</a>
<a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100045055810.0x00000a">
	<img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000365.0x00038d/IOR_L_PS_10_56_0411.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000365.0x00038d/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Use and reuse
Download this image