ملف ١٩٠٤/٢٧٦٤ الجزء ٣ "سكة حديد بغداد: مفاوضات عامة ١٩١٠-١٩١٢." [و‎‎٢‎٣‎٢] (٥٤٤/٤٧٤)

[This Bocnment is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
BAGDAD RAILWAY.
SECRET.
[July 26.]
Section 1.
[27274]
No. 1 .
Sir HJdward Grey to Sir G. Lowther.
(No. 215. Secret.)
^ r ’ rrrjT? f-p i * i a n . . Foreign Office, July 26, 1910.
fUL 1 urkisli Ambassador and Djavid Bey had some conversation with Sir Charles
Hardinge and me to-day, in the course of which we explained how impossible it was
for us to grant the 4 per cent, increase of customs dues without some arrangement
about the Bagdad Railway.
In any case British commerce would object to the increase of the duties, but I
should 1)6 piepared to defend the increase if X could prove that the additional revenue
would be for the good, of the Turkish Government, and would not be applied to
purposes which would injure us. If, however, the additional revenue was devoted,
directly or indirectly, to the Bagdad Railway, it would not help the Turkish Government
in securing good administration, and it would assist in the creation of a German
monopoly of means of transport which would exclude our trade from Mesopotamia.
Tiade there .always had a tendency to fall into the hands which controlled the means of
communication. Some of these means had for a long time been in British hands, and
almost for centuries we had had considerable trade interests in Mesopotamia. If these
interests were now to be undermined and eventually replaced by a foreign monopoly,
created as a result of our having agreed to the increase of the Turkish customs duties,
it was too much to expect that we should agree to the increase.
Djavid Bey protested that the 3 per cent, increase of dues, agreed to two years ago,
had not injured trade. lie argued that therefore the 4 per cent, increase would not do
so either. He went on to say, however, that no decision had yet been taken as to the
allocation of revenues for the Bagdad Railway beyond El Halif ; the Germans would
be asked to renounce their right to claim the proceeds of the 4 per cent, increase
during the next five or six years, and to give up part of the concession beyond Bagdad ;
this part of the railway could then be made by the Turks themselves.
It was arranged that Djavid Bey should further discuss the details of the railway
with Mr. Parker.
Djavid Bey also explained to us the desire of the Turkish Government to
establish a petroleum monopoly and to impose a “ patent ” tax on foreigners trading
in Turkey.
We promised to examine these questions.
I am, &c.
E. GREY.
[2825 cc—1]