"مذكرة تتعلق بالملاحة في نهري دجلة والفرات". [ظ‎‎٧‎٩] (٢٨٤/١٥٩)

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i
Colonel Taylor,
ho. 18,
Confideutial,
February 26.
10
On the 21st October, 1842, Colonel Taylor 1842— (corrt.)
reported that:— Colonel Taylor to
Sir S. Canning,
"The single steamer .... is just returned Qrtobtr21, 1842,
from a periodical trip to Hussorali, in which, at
the request of the Pasha, she conveyed to his
destination the new Governor of Bussorah."
Messrs. Hector (a British firm established
at Bagdad) complained that Arab sheikhs
at different points on the banks of the river
levied dues on boats which they had hired from
native owners; these dues were a species of black
mail. This complaint raised again the question
of the dues to be paid on shipping on tbe rivers
of Mesopotamia (see Library memorandum
No. 10090, Confidential, of July 25, 1912.)
Colonel Taylor, in reporting this complaint,
stated that Messrs. Hector had a country boat
of their own, which was subject to this exaction,
and in this connection he asked for the Ambas
sador's views of the right of British subjects to
purchase or own native boats in the pashalic,
" as the present is the first instance of the fact."
Colonel Taylor added that Messrs. Hector ex
pected a steamer from London at Bussorah and
desired it to ascend the river as far as Bagdad,
and he also requested the Ambassador's instruc
tions as to the course he should pursue if this
were prohibited.
^ir 8. Canning replied at length respecting
the subject of the dues, and added that he
conceived that, by virtue of the most-favoured
nation clauses in existing treaties with the
Porte, no exception could justly be taken to the
navigation of the river above Bussorah by British
merchant steam-vessels.
Sir S. Canning added, "On the whole I do
not see how we are to escape from the con
clusion that, although a British merchant-vessel
whether navigated by sail or steam, is entitled
to ascend the river above Bagdad, no native-built
vessel is exempt from payment of the dues
re . t ! rr ! d . t0 in consider ation of its being laden
with British goods or owned by a British subject
so long as the existing demand is levied equally
upon all loaded boats, nor do I think we could
with prudence advance such a claim to exemp-
rr:. m faV0Ur 0f a vessel navigating
Enclosure in
Sir S. Canning 's
No. 97, May 2.