"مذكرة تتعلق بالملاحة في نهري دجلة والفرات". [ظ‎‎٢‎٥] (٢٨٤/٥١)

36
to the proposed arrangement." This consent was
expressed in the following \\oids .
"La Sublime Porte consent an remplacement par un
autre navire du Mtiment de la marine Rojale la
'Comete ' se trouvant sur lea rivieres de la Mesopotamie,
€t elle a transmis des ordres en consequence au
Oouverneur general du vilayet de Bagdad.
As the Government of India were inclined to ^
the opinion that it was unnecessary to replace May 22, 1870,
1 , • . m • .i and enclosures,
the 44 Comet" by a vessel of similar size, and
proposed to supply a steam launch in its place,
Colonel Herbert wrote a strong despatch opposing
the proposal, and urged that British interests
in Mesopotamia required the presence on the
rivers there of a Government vessel of consider- •
able importance. He pointed out that, should
the efforts made by Namick Pasha (and continued
after his departure from Bagdad) to run the
steamers of the Euphrates and Tigris Steam
Navigation Company off the Tigris prove
successful, the whole dependence of the British
and Indian community would rest on the vessel
attached to the Bagdad residency, and, moreover,
that vessel would be the only available means
of keeping up postal communication with India.
Three steamers commissioned by Namick Pasha
in 1866| were plying on the Tigris, and the
Turkish authorities were using every meafas in
their power to drive the British vessels from the
river. To this end those engaged in the manage
ment of the Turkish steamers desired to deprive
the company of the Indian mail subsidy and to
obtain it for themselves. It was feared by the
local agents of the English company that they
would be unable to resist the Turkish competi
tion. In his covering despatch Sir H. Elliot
stated that, in his opinion, if the "Comet" were
to be replaced only by a steam launch, it would
be vain to attempt to obtain from the Porte
permission for the retention of a larger vessel
should its presence be found subsequently to be
necessary. Sir H. Elliot's views were concurred
m by the India Office, and communicated to the Ma Office
naian Government, but no decision with regard JuDe 23 > 18 ' 70 -
to replacing the « Comet" was taken until some
lour years later (1874).
"Wbile the " Comet" question and the question
of opening the navigation of the Mesopotamian
"vers to the flags of a.l natioils ^
* Note verhale, dated July 13, 1869.
* See note on page 35.