Page 148 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

12G Part II
year been ruling unprecedentedly high ; ami the only security for economy seems to be
the constant endeavour made locality to keep dowu expenditure without sacrifice of credit and
efficiency.”
139. Tlio Government of India did not think that any change in respect of
tho Residency Escort, as proposed hy tho Committee, was required (Eorcign
Department letter No. 20G5-E., dated 12th October 1S67, to tho Resident).
139-A. In the correspondence about the murder of Jemadar Ghulam Din
in 1904 and tho removal of the detach-
Secret K., March 1005, Nos. *1 j-G1.
mont that was implicated on it (sco Chap­
ter XXIV), paragraphs 215 ct'seq., wo find that the then guard consisted of 1
Jemadar, 5 non-commissioned officers and 27 privates. At tho suggestion
of tho Resident the number of privates was increased to 30.

(iv) Quarters for the Residency guard, 1884-85.
HO. In 1884, Colonel Bcvillc, Commandant, Marine Battalion, inspected
Eit«rnM A., Frbrua y lfi>*5, No*. 214—223. the detachment at Baghdad, and considered
Eitcrnal A., June lbd5, Nos. 102—1C3. the site of their quarters undesirablo, as the
men in tho event of an attack on the Residency would ho unable to give ready
assistance owing to the distance at which they were situated from that
place, and the narrow streets through which they would have to force their
way. It was suggested that the Comet should be used to hulk tho men, but
this proposal could not be accepted, as that vessel had soon to bo broken up.
141. Tho Government of India wore inclined to secure the house belonging
to Nawab lkbal-ud-Dowlah aud occupied by Dr. G. Bowman, when he should
vacate it.
142. Upon reconsideration of the question the Government of India decid­
ed to retain the detachment of the Marino
Eiternal A , November 1S85, Noi. 241*214.
Battalion at Baghdad in the occupation of
the then existing lines.
143. The reasons leading the Government of India to this decision were :—
“ (t) That it has not been found possible to secure the house on the north
side of the Residency, tho owner objecting to its conversion into
a barrack;
(ti) as the possibility of danger anticipated by Major Beville in paragraph
2 of his letter of the 24th April 1884 is a very remote one, and
even in the case of an cmcule occurring in the city, there
would ho no difficulty in marching the guard from their present
lines to the Residency;
(tii) that the construction of new lines for the guard would he likely to
arouse the suspicion of the Turkish authorities and would lead to
opposition on their part and to diplomatic difficulties ;
(it) that the only site that can be suggested for new quarters is tho
Residency Garden, which is not the property of tho Indian Govern­
ment, and that building a barrack on that site would practically
involve the destruction of the garden, which would he exceeding­
ly unpopular botli amongst tho European and native residents of
Baghdad;
(o) tho proposed move would also entail undesirable additional expendi­
ture.”
(latter from the Government of India, Military Department, No. H98-C., dated 28th
October 1885.)