File 2764/1904 Pt 3 'Baghdad Railway: general negotiations 1910-1912.' [‎205r] (420/544)

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[This Docunrent is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
BAGDAD RAILWAY.
SECRET.
[September 27.]
Section 1.
[35044]
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir F. Bertie,
(No. 424. Very Confidential.)
Sir, Foreign Office, September 27, 1910.
I TRANSMIT to your Excellency confidentially herewith copy of a letter from
Mr. A. J. Barry, enclosing a document which purports to be a copy of M. Rich on’s
report to the French Ambassador at Constantinople of the negotiations with the Grand
Vizier for the conclusion of a Turkish loan.
I am, &c.
E. GREY.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Mr. Barry to Mr. Mallet.
Dartmouth House, 2, Queen Anne’s Gate,
Westminster, September 22, 1910.
(Personal.)
My dear Mr. Mallet,
I RECEIVED the enclosed this morning, with a request to send it on to you if I
judged it of sufficient interest. It strikes me as being likely to be of interest to you. I am
therefore sending it round by hand. Nothing further has been done recently with
regard to the Homs-Bagdad project, the Turkish Government having refused (in the
face of declared German opposition) to accept the proposals we made. Under the
circumstances, Tardieu and the Ornstein group in Paris have joined forces, and if
Sir Ernest Cassel on this side is prepared to lend his support it is intended to submit a
new proposal to the Turkish Government, embracing both the construction of the
railway and the irrigation of Mesopotamia, based on the terms originally put forward
by the Ornstein group.
I hear Sir Ernest Cassel is back in town, and I hope to make an appointment to
see him one day next week.
Yours sincerely,
A. J. BARRY.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
M. Pichon to M. Bompard.
LES entretiens qu’Hakki Pacha a eus a Paris au sujet de I’emprunt n’ont nen
change au point de vue oh nous nous etions places, M. le President du Conseil et moi, au
cours de notre conference avec le Grand \ izir a Vers-en-Montagne.
L’attitude prise par les journaux jeunes turcs dans cette affaire, notamment par le
“ Tanine,” dont tons les articles sont signes.de Djai’d, qui a accompagne Djavid a Paris
et a figure a ses cotes dans toutes les receptions, n est pas faite, d ailleurs, poui modifier
les impressions defavorables que provoque 1’etat d esprit dune partie du Gouvemement
jeune turc et non la moins innuente.
II semble que le Ministre des Finances ottoman s applique a rendre chaque jour
plus difficile 1’acceptation de la combinaison financiere qu il a nouee ici,. soit qu il en
discredite lui-mbme ie gage en s effor^ant de demontrer comme dans son interview du
“ Pester Lloyd,” “ qu’il n’a ni offert ni donne les recettes des.douanes de Constantinople
en garantie.” soit quhl annonce des pretentions et des intentions tout a fait dangeieuses
pour nos interbts en Turquie. _ , , , , ■
Le Gouvernement de la repubhque a declare qu d etait et entendait restei
ngoureusement impartial entre les divers groupes. financiers du maiche de Pans,
auxquels il pourrait etre fait appel par le Gouvernement ottoman, mais il ne faudrait
pas que celui-ci en deduislt que nous voyons dun ceil indifferent les attaques passionnees