مجموعة ٢٨/١٧ "العراق. تأسيس البحرية العراقية". [و‎‎٧] (٢٨/١٣)

No.287.
(E 2169/1421/93)
Sir,
v/ith reference to Your Excellency's despatch No. 118
(258/5/36) of the 3rd March, regarding the intention of the
Iraqi Government to form a small fleet of river gunboats, I
transmit to you, for any observations which you may have to
offer, the accompanying copy of a letter on the subject from
the Admiralty.
2. while your despatch under reference does not report
the intentions of the Iraqi Government in regard to the
construction of these vessels, my attention has been drawn to
paragraph 76 in the Intelligence Summary for February 1936
prepared by Air Headquarters of the Royal Air Force in Iraq, in
which it is stated that the Iraqi Minister of Defence announced
in the Iraqi Chamber of Deputies in the course of discussion on
the defence estimates that orders had been placed with British
shipyards for several armed vessels for use in Iraqi waters.
3. It is perhaps relevant to recall, in connexion with
the proposed construction of these river gunboats, that
sub-paragraph 2 of Clause 5 of the Annexure to the Anglo-Iraqi
Treaty of Alliance of 1930 provides that His Britannic Majesty
shall grant, whenever required by His Majesty the King of Iraq,
all possible facilities for the provision of, inter alia , ships
"of the latest available pattern" for the Iraqi forces.
I am, with great truth and respect.
Sir ’
Your Excellency’s obedient Servant,
(For the Secretary of State)
Excellency
Sir Archibald Clarh Kerr, K. G.I.' r G
etc., etc., etc.,
Bagdad.
p v I
3171 ^
lOSB I
FefrEIGirOFFICE, s.\7.1
6th May, 1936.
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