Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎145r] (289/678)

disturbance took place. The Wall at present is Hasan Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , a man of much
the same type as the ordinary Turkish official. He is not popular among the
people, has little influence, and is believed to be not particularly partial to
Europeans. Rejeb Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , on the other hand, is a strong man. with the repu
tation, so rare among Turks, of being incorruptible. He is very popular,
both among the troops, whose condition has been much improved during his
administration, and among the populace, has married a Christian wife and
entertains very friendly feelings towards Christians in general, in fact rumour
<*oes so far as to say that he is secretly one himself. When disturbances were
feared he went about the city in disguise, and by his prompt punishment of any
persons heard talking of attacking Christians succeeded in keeping order.
Whatever latent fanaticism there may be among the Mahomedans, it does not,
as a rule, appear on the surface, and Europeans can walk about the streets and
bazars quite unmolested.
Besides the British Resident and Consul-General there are French, Russian Consulates,
and German Consuls in Baghdad, and America is represented by a Vice-Consul.
Here, as in other parts of Asia Minor, French influence is a good deal felt,
nearly all the better class Christians are educated at the schools kept by the
various religious orders, and most of them speak French fluently ; it is in fact
the one European language which is of any general use in the country.
Except perhaps a few Armenian merchants the Russians have no subjects
in this part of Turkey, and scarcely sufficient direct interests to account for
the presence of a Consul. Their present representative, M. Mashkov, was
formerly in Abyssinia, and has the reputation of having done useful work for the
Government there. He is well paid, receives a good entertainment allowance,
and evidently has a considerable sum of secret service money at his disposal it
being commonly reported that he sees all telegrams that pass through the
Baghdad office, and like many other Russian Consuls in Turkey he has lately been
decorated by the Sultan. His relations with the local authorities appeared, to
be more intimate than those of any of the other representatives of foreign
powers.
Baghdad is the head-quarters of the Vlth Army Corps and contains, nomi- Garrison,
nally at least, a garrison of 5 battalions of infantry, .8 squadrons of cavalry and
4 battalions and a mountain battery of artillery, besides other infantry battalions
in the immediate neighbourhood. The distribution of the Army Corps, compiled
from Turkish official sources, is given in Appendix II, but the actual stations of
battalions continually vary according to local requirements and disturbances
among the marsh tribes in the lower Euphrates Valley have lately, necessitated
the strengthening of the garrisons in that part of the district. It is difficult to
account for the difference between the garrisons shown as at Fao and El Hasa
and those actually there, ^>ut official returns in Turkey are not to be trusted
and it is quite possible that some of the units are so much below their nominal
strength that the 30 or 40 men at .Fao represent the whole of the battalion of
Fortress artillery returned as serving there.
The men of the Vlth Army Corps consist of about two-thirds Arabs and
one-third Kurds ; the higher ranks are filled chiefly by Turks, but regimental
officers except commandants of battalions, are of the same races as the men.
Under Reieb Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. much has been done to improve their food, equipment, etc.,
and in these respects they are now well enough off. In Baghdad, they have very
aood barracks, built in the time of Midhat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , and a hospital is now in course
oi construction there. On the other hand they are always far in arrears with
their pay and are frequently called upon to serve longer than the. stipulated
time, the'Arabs at any rate do not like serving, and are in a very discontented
state.
On the whole the men of the Vlth Army Corps do not appear to be such
oood fiehting material as those further to the west a large proportion have no
f ove (or the Turks and dislike the Government, and so have little inducement to
fmht against any outside Power, unless on the ground of rehgtous fanaticism.
As elsewhere in Turkey most of the officers are absolutely useless.