"مذكرة تتعلق بالملاحة في نهري دجلة والفرات". [و‎‎٤‎٣] (٢٨٤/٨٦)

69
concerning the navigation of the Tigris and
Euphrates by British vessels and the payment of
dues in the internal trade. Attention was called
to the wording of the vizierial letters of 1846 and
3861, relative to the navigation of the Tigris and
Euphrates by British vessels, which was shown
to be inexplicable if Musurus Pasha's interpreta
tion of the letters were accepted, but, on the
other hand, was entirely consistent with the
agreement recorded in Sir S. Canning's des
patches in 1846. With regard to the contention
of Musurus Pasha that such an agreement as
that of 1846 could not be concluded otherwise
than by a treaty, it was observed that the
agreement would not be the less valid as an
international agreement because the Porte did
not think fit to give effect to it by an Imperial
firman or to insist on making it the subject of a
formal treaty. Her Majesty's Government held
that they were not necessarily called upon to
invoke the general right of navigation claimed
by them on the Tigris and Euphrates, but as the
vizierial letter of 1861 conferred on the company
the privilege of placing their two steamers on
the rivers, and as the company had enjoyed the
privilege ever since with the knowledge and
acquiescence of the Porte, Her Majesty's Govern
ment considered that they were entitled to insist
upon the rights hitherto enjoyed by the company
being respected and maintained.
Daring the course of a debate in the House of
Commons on the 8th August, 188 4-, the language
employed in the note of the 6th June to Musurus
Pasha, respecting the privilege conferred on the
company by the vizierial letter of 1861 to place
their steamers on the Tigris and Euphrates, was
repeated by the Under-Secretaiy of State for
Eoreign Affairs. The statement in each instance
was thus worded :—
"Her Majesty's Government contend that the
vizierial letter of 1861, having been issued for the very
purpose of enabling the company to put their two
steamers on the Tigris and Euphrates, was intended
to confer and did confer, that privilege on them."
No further objection to the navigation of the
Tigris by the company's steamers was then made
by the Turkish authorities, and the incident
appears to have been regarded as closed.
[163—1] T