مجموعة ٧/١٧(١) "العراق وفلسطين: اتفاقية نقل البضائع من وإلى العراق عبر فلسطين؛ سكة حديد بغداد-حيفا" [ظ‎‎٨‎٢] (١٠٦٨/١٧٥)

that however desirable the railway would be. it cannot be said to be a strategical
necessity, because with modern methods of road transport it would be possible at
a cost which would be insignificant in comparison with that of a railway so to
improve the existing track from Amman to Dhibban that it could be used at any
season for conveyance of essential supplies from Haifa in an emergency. The
conclusions of the Air Staff are summarised as follows
1; The Air Staff are satisfied that the metalled road which is being
constructed bv the Iraq Government from Baghdad to Dhibban will
form an adequate link with the railway system cf Iraq, both during
the construction of the Air Base and when it is occupied.
{’2} That, to meet the contingency of unsettled conditions in Iraq, it is
essential when the Air Base is completed tnat tnere snould be available
a line of communication with Palestine. ||i
(3) While thev see no reason to modify the view expressed bv the Chiefs of
Staff in 19“2S as to the great value of the Haifa-Baghdad railway, they
are of opinion that the development of the motor track from Amman
to Dhibban is in any event essential, not only owing to the doubt when
the railway will become available, but also as an adjunct to the rail-
wav when it is constructed/’
E con&m w Consid eration s.
(i) Arguments for.
14. On more general grounds, it may perhaps be argued that the construe
tion of the railway would contribute very largely to the material prosperity of
the territories through which it would pass. Iraq is potentially an important
agricultural country. Its resources remain undeveloped primarily owing to lack
of capital, but also owing to the absence of means of rapid communication with
the European markets. The prosperity of a country is very largely dependent
upon efficient communications, and once the products of Iraq can be transported
to Europe cheaply and quickly, the capital for their development should be forth
coming. The possible benefits of the railway to Palestine have also to be
considered. Assuming the development of sufficient traffic, the port of Iiaifa
would become the chief port of import and export on the eastern Mediterranean,
and the terminal of a railway sy stem which might one day extend far beyond the
borders of Iraq through Persia to India; a system, moreover, which would follow
a traditional trade route and would tap countries of great potential wealth.
Haifa would become not only a great oil port, but also the centre of an important
entrepot trade with Iraq, Persia and the Far East.
15. If means could be found to secure the placing of orders in this countn
struct ion of the railwav would materia! !v benefit the heaw industries and
the construction of the railway would materially benefit the heavy indu
be an important contribution to the relief of unemployment. The Consulting
Engineers have estimated that, on this assumption, the construction of the
railway would lead to consequential expenditure in this country, including sea
freight, of between £2,900,000 and £2,300,000 according to the gauge and weight
of rail adopted.
16. Again, a railway from Haifa to Baghdad would act as a feeder to the
Iraqi railway system, in which His Majesty’s Government, as holders of 275 lakhs
of rupees of preferred stock, retain a substantial capital interest. It is arg
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once the extension to Mosul has been constructed, that some of the produce of that
rich agricultural district would probably be sent down bv rail to Baghdad tor
transport to the Mediterranean at Haifa, in order that it should reach European
markets before the produce of America and Russia. Furthermore, the importa
tion of European goods into Persia and the export of Persian products to Europe
should lead to greatly increased traffic along the Baghdad-Khaniqin section ot
the Iraqi railways; and in so far as the trans-desert railway might be used to
escape the payment of Suez canal dues on goods destined for the East, the line to
Basra would benefit. The result of all this additional traffic, it might be urged,
should be substantially to increase the likelihood of His Majesty's Government
j-eceiving interest upon their capital holding in the Iraqi railway' system.
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