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Coll 17/7(1) 'Iraq and Palestine: agreement for transit through Palestine of goods to and from Iraq; Baghdad-Haifa railway' [248r] (506/1068)
The record is made up of 1 volume (524 folios). It was created in 23 Apr 1929-23 Apr 1936. 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.
It is said that funds are being allotted for construction oi a motor road from
Damascus to the Iraqi frontier. Steps have already been taken for extension
of the Nisibin Railway to the Iraqi frontier in order to encourage, in addition,
transit traffic by Syrian routes through Mosul and Rowanduz. A free zone
at Aleppo is proposed and another at Alexandretta. The French High
Commissioner recently made a public announcement emphasising the importance
of development of the trans-desert routes in order to safeguard Syria’s transit
trade. The goodwill of the Persian Government has been sought, and apparently
obtained.
10. The Iraqi Government have proved even less receptive to overtures from
Syria than to those from Palestine. In December 1933, when Nuri
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
A1 Said
was Minister for Foreign Affairs, the French Charge d’Affaires in Bagdad
proposed to him the conclusion of a far-reaching trade agreement between Iraq
and Syria. He replied that the Iraqi Government would be happy to enter into
negotiations with Syrians, but declined to do so direct with the French. On
the other hand, the Iraqi Government have taken no active steps to obstruct the
French plans. The Auto-Routiere Company operate in Iraq and have an office
in Bagdad. The only disability under which they suffer is that the Iraqi
Customs have refused to register them as a licensed motor-transport company,
eligible for certain privileges and concessions in regard to customs formalities.
For instance, licensed transporters are allowed to go through the Ramadi
customs post without examination of their goods, their manifests being accepted
as reliable. The reason given by the Customs for refusal is simply that they
do not know enough about the company. No transport company receives such
a licence until it has been operating for a year or more and has proved itself
trustworthy. An Iraqi company is still waiting for a licence after nearly a
year in commission. The Nairn Transport Company are, however, registered as
licensed transporters, so that the French will have no difficulty in overcoming
this disability. They are likely to appoint an
agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
in Bagdad with branches
in Persia; and it is possible that this will be given to the Mesopotamia-Persia
Corporation, the oldest established British house in this country, who represent
P. and 0. interests and Lloyd’s, and are associated with the Euphrates and
Tigris Steam Navigation Company operating river steamer services. As
Khedivial mail agents, they are the only company able to issue through return
tickets by jthe overland route between Bagdad and Jedda in conformity with
the sanitary regulations governing the pilgrimage to Mecca. Consequently,
although they operate no trans-desert transport themselves and contract with
various trans-desert concerns for the purpose, they are the official agents
authorised by the Iraqi Government to issue overland pilgrim tickets and are
in a strong position in relation to this traffic.
11. Meanwhile, Haim Effendi continues to operate his mail convoys via
Amman in the hope that the Iraqi and Palestinian Governments will eventually
decide to assist development of the
Transjordan
Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan
route. In September 1933 the
British Post Office took away the greater part of his overland mails from London,
diverting them to the Simplon Express-Damascus route. Although it is
understood that towards the end of February 1934 the British Post Office again
reverted part of the overland mails to the Jerusalem-
Transjordan
Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan
route, one
London mail weekly is still despatched via Simplon and Damascus. Apart from
the mails, there can be little traffic by the
Transjordan
Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan
route until the proposed
measures for its development are implemented.
12. The French, indeed, appear confident that the geographical advantages
of the Damascus route are sufficiently great to ensure its supremacy. I he
distances involved between Bagdad and the Mediterranean are approximately
as follows :—
Damascus route—
Bagdad-Rutbah ...
Rutbah-Damascus
Damascus-Beirut
Miles
265
272
68
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence, reports and minutes regarding road and rail transport through Iraq, Trans-Jordan [Jordan], Palestine, Syria and Iran. The following topics are discussed in detail:
- The proposed construction of a Baghdad-Haifa rail route. The file also includes records regarding the planned transfer of the Iraqi Government Railway from British to Iraqi control.
- Transport developments and trade routes in Syria, and economic competition between French- and British- mandated territories in the region.
- Proposals for the development of free zones at the port in Haifa, for Iraqi and Persian [Iranian] goods. This includes discussion of customs dues, and facilities to be offered to foreign governments.
- Proposals by Haim Effendi Nathaniel, the Iraqi Railways Canvassing Agent, for facilities to assist in the development of a trans-desert motor route between Iraq and Palestine, and the right to carry Iraqi mails via the Amman ['Ammān] route.
- Customs and Trade Agreements between French-mandated territories and Iran.
The principal authors and correspondents are: HM High Commissioner for Palestine; HM High Commissioner for Iraq; the Foreign Office Eastern Department; the Secretary of State for the Colonies; HM Minister at Tehran; and the Committee of Imperial Defence, Standing Ministerial and Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East. The volume also contains a small number of communications received from the Government of Iraq.
The volume contains the following items of note:
- Minutes of a meeting between the Iraqi Treasurer and Haim Effendi Nathaniel, regarding the Baghdad-Haifa Desert Motor Route, held on the 18 January 1933, ff 425-428.
- Records of a meeting between the Treasurer, the Iraqi Delegation, and the Director of Customs at Palestine, regarding the proposed free zone facilities at Haifa for Iraqi goods, and the establishment of terminal facilities and a preferential tariff, ff 371-392.
- Draft minutes of a meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence, Standing Ministerial and Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East, held Monday 17 July 1933, regarding: 1) the proposed pipeline from the British Oil Development Company's concession near Mosul to the Mediterranean, and 2) the Trans-Desert Railway from Baghdad to Haifa. Plus related despatches received from Baghdad, Aleppo and Beirut, notes on the strategic value of the Baghdad-Haifa railway by the Secretaries of State for Air and War, ff 326-357.
- Communication from the High Commissioner for Iraq (Francis Henry Humphrys) to the Foreign Secretary (John Simon), summarising the development of road and rail transport routes between Iraq, Syria and Palestine from 1925-1934, ff 247-249.
- English translation of the Decree of the French High Commissioner in Syria, 'Governing the Regime of Customs Exemptions granted to Transdesert Transport Concerns maintaining regular services of the transport of international transport goods', ff 222-236.
- Minutes of meetings of the Committee of Imperial Defence, Standing Ministerial and Official Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East, held 11 and 23 October 1934, regarding the proposed Baghdad-Haifa route, ff 139-177, 90-107, and 70-89.
- Memorandum on the Baghdad-Damascus desert route, prepared by the Commercial Secretary to the Baghdad Embassy, 1935, ff 5-10.
The volume also contains a proposal by the Palestine Corporation Limited to construct a highway connecting Palestine and Iraq, found at folios 14-30. This proposal is discussed in depth in the second part of the file, IOR/L/PS/12/2852.
The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 1).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (524 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 526; these numbers are written in pencil, 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and ending flyleaves. A previous foliation sequence has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 17/7(1) 'Iraq and Palestine: agreement for transit through Palestine of goods to and from Iraq; Baghdad-Haifa railway' [248r] (506/1068), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2851, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100076591289.0x00006b> [accessed 25 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2851
- Title
- Coll 17/7(1) 'Iraq and Palestine: agreement for transit through Palestine of goods to and from Iraq; Baghdad-Haifa railway'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:ii-v, 1r:13v, 31r:37v, 40r:212r, 214r:221v, 242r:264v, 266r:312v, 316r:346r, 349r:404r, 407r:411v, 417r:446v, 449r:465v, 468r:471v, 474r:474v, 478r:485v, 488r:502v, 504r:526v, iii-r:iv-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence