File 3579/1916 'Turkey: the future of Constantinople' [‎119v] (247/530)

person who is already in great grief, it is a blow which will hurt, and
increase that grief, and it should reach him gradually and be softened down
as far as possible.”
3. I made a strong point of tluf guarantee of the Hedjaz and she said,
“ Oh l all of us who have any intelligence or education know perfectly well
that the Government has no prejudices, and is more than fair to the Muham
madans, but you have to think of the ignorant and fanatical masses who don’t
understand. Why, you have only just been talking of the Government
wanting to erect a mosque for the sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. at Basrah; isn’t this a proof of the
Government’s good intentions to us ?
I then said that it was because Government realized the ignorance of the
masses, that I was giving her the information, and that similar steps were
being taken throughout India with a view to the leaders and great men of
the Muhammadans being in a position to explain to the people the difficulties
which we had been faced with, and how England had done its utmost by
getting the Allies to agree to the guarantee of the integrity of Turkey, even
after it had become clear that the Turks were listening to the Counsels of
Germany.
She replied, “ I will do my best; it is German gold which has ruined
Turkey, and the Turks are too foolish to see that even if Germany won the
war, they would become a vassal State like Poland or the small kingdoms in
Germany ”.
4. My conversation was rather a lengthy one, but I believe that I have
given you everything of importance.
Enclosube No. 15.
Dated Viceroy’s Camp, the 6th January 1917.
From—The Hon’ble Mr. A. H. Grant, C.S.I., C.I.E., Foreign Secretary to the
Government of India in the Foreign and Political Department,
To—The Hon’ble Mr. O. V. Bosanquet, C.S.I., C.I.E., Agent to the Governor-
General in Central India, Indore.
Thank you for your demi-official letter of the 27th December 1916, with
which you enclosed Davis’ report on his conversations with Her Highness the
Begum Courteous or formal title for (usually Muslim) women of elite status, especially of Turko-Mongol lineage. of Bhopal and the Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. of Jaora regarding the agreement between
Russia, Erance and England as to the disposal of Turkey.
I showed your letter to His Excellency the Viceroy and discussed with
him the advisability of his writing a personal letter to Her Highness the
Begum Courteous or formal title for (usually Muslim) women of elite status, especially of Turko-Mongol lineage. as suggested by you. After full consideration His Excellency.thinks
that there are grave objections to his doing this. In the first place
it would be very difficult for the Viceroy to write such a letter without
committing himself to expressions of sympathy which are neither in accord
with the policy of His Majesty’s Government nor with the attitude of the
Government of India. The bald fact remains that the Turks made themselves
our enemies and are therefore the secular enemies of every loyal Chief in
India and it would be obviously improper for the Viceroy to indicate sympathy
with a Ruling Chief who entertained feelings of sorrow at the downfall of our
enemies however natural such feelings might be.
The Viceroy however thinks that there would be no objection to your
conveying to Her Highness through Davis a verbal message from him indicat
ing his appreciation of the attitude which she has adopted in this matter; such
a verbal message would be sufficiently vague not in any way to commit the
Viceroy and should have some effect of soothing Her Highness’ feelings.
Enclostjee No. 16.
Extract from a letter from the Government of the Punjab, No. 41 — 1S0-S. B.,
dated the 16th December 1916.
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Little or no comment has been caused among the people by recent
events in Roumania. The sinking of the mail steamer Arabia, however, ha$