"مذكرة تتعلق بالملاحة في نهري دجلة والفرات". [و‎‎٥‎٣] (٢٨٤/١٠٦)

89
Sir P. Currie,
No. 105,
Commercial,
December 15,
1895.
Sir P. Currie,
No. 28,
Commercial,
April 8, 1894.
Sir A. ISicolson,
Nos. 82 and 118,
Commercial,
June 22 and
August 12, 1893.
Euphrates and
Tigris Steam
Navigation
Company,
March 9, 1894.
Sir P. Currie,
No. 26,
Commercial,
April 1, 1894.
India Office,
June 12, 1894.
Euphrates and
Tigris Steam
Navigation
Company,
June 15, 1894.
After repeated representations to the Porte,
tlie Council of Ottoman Customs Administration
agreed to regard the pieces used in the construc
tion of the " Malamir " as goods in transit, and
levied transit duty of 1 per cent, only, refunding
the other 7 per cent, to the company. A similar
course was taken in regard to coal imported via
Bussorah for the use of the company's steamers
on the Karun.
Two other questions of concern to the Euphrates
and Tigris Steam Navigation Company which
arose in 1893-4 should obtain brief mention.
The one related to the permission alleged to
have been given in the case of the Oman Otto
man steamers for the conveyance direct to Bagdad
of cargo addressed to Bussorah, without customs
clearance at the latter port. The company wished
to obtain the same privilege, but it was doubtful
from the enquiries made whether they really
were debarred from carrying cargo in the same
way as the Turkish company, and the matter was
allowed to drop. The other question related to
the disorganisation and want of accommodation
at the Bagdad custom-house. In respect of this
disorganised state of affairs the company put
forward a statement of claim against the Porte
for out-of-pocket expenses, but the Ambassador
at Constantinople did not consider that such a
claim could be substantiated, and no action was
taken with regard to it.
Subsidies had been received by the Euphrates
and Tigris Steam Navigation Company from the
Indian Government between 1860 and 1873 for a
fortnightly mail service to* Bagdad at the rate of
4J300/. a year, between 1876 and 1880 for a
service of three voyages a month at the rate of
3,600/. a year, between 1880 and 1884 for a
weekly service at the same rate, and between
1884 and 1894 at the rate of 36,000 rupees
a year. The question of renewal of the contract
at a reduced subsidy came up for consideration
in 1894. The company stated that, if permission
could be obtained for the regular employment
of their third steamer, which they had to main
tain in readiness at Bussorah in case of accident
to either of their other steamers, or if the
prohibition against the towing of barges were
relaxed, the contract could be accepted on the
reduced terms, otherwise they feared that the
reduction might restrict the operations or
[163—1] 2 A