"مذكرة تتعلق بالملاحة في نهري دجلة والفرات". [ظ‎‎٥‎٦] (٢٨٤/١١٣)

96
Information was received by the Embassy that,
although an engineer had been sent to build
canals and, dams at certain points on the Tigris,
the work was of an inefficient and temporary
character. Moreover, the engineer was attacked
by local Arabs and his work destroyed.
A memorandum was presented to the Porte by Sir N.^O 'Conor,
the chief dragoman at Constantinople calling November 23,
attention to this information, and pressing for 1898 -
the grant of an adequate amount to ensure im
provements being carried out in a permanent
and satisfactory manner. The note also reiterated
the request that the company should be permitted
to use their barges pending completion of the work.
When presenting the memorandum Mr. Block Sir N. 0'Conor,
was informed by the Grand Vizier that the December, 21
Minister of Marine strongly opposed the com- 1898 -
pany's application on the ground that the grant
to them of further privileges would be detri
mental to the Oman Ottoman Company. About
the same time the advisability of applying direct
to the vali for temporary permission to tow
barges was discussed by the acting consul-
general at Bagdad and the company's local
agent, and both of them came to the conclusion
that such application would do more harm than
good, and might reopen the question of the
stationary barge (see pp. 92,93) kept and used by
the company as a depdtfor landing and receiving
cargo at Bagdad. The company contended that Euphrates and
the question of the stationary barge had nothing Steam
to do with the claim to tow barges, and that the Company,
barge would be withdrawn when promised altera- ^ mber 81 '
tions in the custom-house at Bagdad had been
carried out.
Owing in great part to the personal interven- Sir N. O'Conor,
01 , t!ie SultaQ . tlle repeated requests for T '. uoq
permission to tow barges were ultimately acceded
to by the Porte, and a vizierial order was issued
to the Governors-General of Bussorah and Bagdad
in June 1899 to permit barges to be towed by
the company's steamers.
Sir N. O'Conor refrained from raising the
question whether the order was limited to the
towing of two barges during low water, or was of
more general application. Upon hearing that
permission had been given the company tele
graphed the information to Bussorah. and" one of
their steamers at once left that port with a
by Sir N OTJo rlljlS | ,>10CeedmS Was ob j ected to Si' N. O'Conor,
Conor, who considered it unwise to Tele & ra pl" c »
to June 16; 1899.