"مذكرة تتعلق بالملاحة في نهري دجلة والفرات". [و‎‎٩‎٣] (٢٨٤/١٨٦)

33
1880 (cont.} that Holland was tliG only Power wliich had
a treaty with the Porte conferring this right.
His Excellency added that he had taken the
opportunity, in speaking to Sawas Pasha and the
Prime Minister upon the subject to urge upon
them the importance of throwing open these
rivers to steam navigation, so that the trade and
resources of Turkey might thereby be developed,
that his observations were favourably received,
and that a promise was given that the request
of the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation
Company to employ a tuird vessel should be
reconsidered.
' In alluding to the proposed leasing of the
Turkish vessels the company took the opportunity
of renewing their request to be allowed to
increase the number of their steamers on those
rivers.
Sir H. Layard reported that the Minister for
Eoreign Affairs had assured him no such monopoly
should be granted.
The company stated that the Turkish authorities
Euphrates and
Tigris Steam
Navigation
Company,
January 17.
Sir H. Layard,
No. 29,
Telegraphic,
January 17.
Euphrates and
Tigris Steam
Navigation
Company,
March 24.
To Sir H. Layard,
No. 41,
Commercial,
March 27.
Sir II. Layard,
No. 149,
Telegraphic,
April 1.
Musurus Pasha,
May 13.
To Musurus Pasha,
May 14.
had stopped their towing cargo flats, which the
company's steamers had apparently been towing
since December 1879 in order to relieve the
famine raging round Bagdad. The company,
however, made no mention of these flats in their
letter of the I'ith March, in which they asked
that increased facilities should be obtained for
them.
Sir H. Layard was instructed to do what lie
could for the company, ^ seeing that it is not a
question of asking for fresh privileges."
Sir IT. Lajard reported that the Porte had
sent-orders to the Vali of Bagdad to permit the
towing of barges, but the company on the
26th April stated that the Government of
Bussorah still refused to permit this. The com
pany added, " cargo boats have from time
immemorial been used in the navigation of these
rivers, and both tracked by men and on occasions
towed by steam-power." Sir H. Layard made
further remonstrances, and on the 13th May
Musurus Pasha, Turkish Ambassador in London,
stated that orders had been sent by telegraph to
the authorities of the vilayet of Bussorah " afln
que les deux bateaux de la Compagnie Lynch
puissent remonter des schlepps, des mahonnes, et
meme des caics, pourvu quelle consente a
transporter des cereales aux endroits ou r^gne
ladisette"; to which, however. Lord Granville
[163] K