ملف ٣٥١٦\١٩١٤ الجزء ١٦ "الحرب الألمانية: بلاد فارس؛ عام؛ مسألة التحالف" [و‎‎٢‎١‎٢] (٤٥١/٤٢٩)

mtm m
From Sir P. Cox, Basra, IQth September 1915.
(Addressed to India, and repeated to Secretary of State for India.)
. My immediately preceding telegrams. Blockading of river trade routes
from South owing to warlike ope rations, combined with oppressive exactions
of the Turl^ V cause/Senous distress at the Holy Places, which have
lately been relieved by abandonment and retirements from Euphrates line,
and by liberal policy adopted by military authorities in alio wan oon vmd/fuocP
stuffs to passoify ( y '■■) in either direction on Euphrates.
People had to sell their (?jlwniinnhuld) property to provide themselves
with necessaries of life. Finally, there was a famine of current coin which
accentuated distress.
I have done my utmost to get money to Holy Places. It has been
impossible to send specie, but 1 have lost no opportunity of getting drafts
here and there for small amounts sent secretly, and have thus sent about
TOOL I have had indirect acknowledgment of arrival of money in several
cases, and appreciation of recipients. One messenger was arrested on his
way back by Turks ; nothing was found on him, but he is still in durance,
and his arrest has of course made recipients wary of communicating.
United States Consul at Baghdad reports that Turks object to payment
by him of Oudh beneficiaries and pensioners, but he hopes to have objection
removed. jef
A month ago leading Arab Sheikh, jNIa{ "F r, sent an em issary to
Nasrie saying they were ready to acquiesce in our passage onJmms receiving-
certain assurances, and 1 sent a copy of reply sent to Government of India
and I have asked them to communicate it if not already done.
At the present moment there is no doubt inhabitants of Holy Places are
praying for our advance m order that normal conditions may be restoied,
but as soon as that is done, and they are contented, the} will doubtless
revert to their natural condition of bigoted community whom we had better
leave, as far as possible, to their own devices. This should not be impossible
from the administrative point of view.