Page 217 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter X. 191

firm and determined, though courteous, nnd what hn said about the pared-mails merely was
that he would compel them to go down to Baera and ho brought up hero again on board a
Turkish mourner.
30. As rognrds these mails, tho circnmstancos reported in this diary will enable tho Gov­
ernment of India to decide what, if any, orders should bo issued from time to time to tho
Indian Postal Department touching the continued sending them on towards Baghdad at all.
31. Already, as I am credibly informed, the Ottoman navigational bureau ha«, on tho
strength of our trade having boon stopped and all the traffic diverted for a short, timo int> its
hands, greatly raised its rates for freight, much to the disgust of somo of the very capitalists
and traders who have boon conspiring to bring about the present coup. Tho truth is. if tho
navigation of the Tigris hot ween Basra and Baghdad were, by any possibility, to fall within
the power of Turkish maladministration and rapacity, it would gradually collapse. No capital­
ists having large ventures would hold themselves very long at the mercy of so uncertain a
Government as this. And the trade of the country would subside to its pristine channels,
namely, small native crafts run by people too poor and ohscuro to think of anything butter than
getting on ns best they could ; now submitting to extortion ; now evading it through bribery
or cunning ; nnd leading, generally, the proenrious lives to which Asiatics aro as a ruio habit-
• uated.
95. Circumstances remained unaltered till tho 4th August when Colonel
Tweedio telegraphed that tho Wnli had received orders from Constantinople
to suspend measures obstructing the Tigris navigation.
PG. A telegram, dated 20th August, announced that all restrictions on nav.
igation had boon removed, and that tho steamers woro running satisfactorily.
97. Wo shall follow' now the discussions that took placo between tho British
Embassy, tho Foreign Office, the Resident
Secret E., August 1853, No*. 343*113.
and the Porte, as the result of which tho
Turkish authorities removed tho restrictions on tho navigation of tho British
stoamers on the 'ligris.
9S. The objection first raised by the Turks was that tho Mejidieh, which was
ihid (No 432) meant to replace tho Blosse Lynch, was a
‘ °‘ larger vessel than the latter In answer
to this the British Embassy placed boforo tho Porte tho relative dimensions of
the two vessels, which wore as follows
Length. Breadth. Tonnage,
Fed. Foot.
Mejidioh • •• ... 216 35 373
Blosse Lynch... ... 225 29 333
99. From this statement it would bo seen that tho longth and tonnage of the
new steamer aro less than those of the old steamer, whilst tho slight iucrease
of breadth was provided to obtain a smaller draught of water.
100. It was also pointed out that the restriction as regards the number of
vessels permitted was carofully attended to, and no advantage was being taken
of the latitude allowed as regards tho size
• Paragraph 71, ante.
by tho Vizirial* letter of 31st March 1876,
in which no restriction is placed in this respect.
101. Wo may note then the memoranda written by Mr. C. M, Kennedy
Secret E, October 1883, No*. 92-317. (Nos. 223 and Mr. T. C. Plowdeil On the Subject.
tT,d 237-) Mr. Kennedy briefly traces tho history of
the British connection with tho Mesopotamian rivers, ovor which we have gone
already, and Mr. Plowden discusses the real bearings of tho facts on the ques­
tions at issue. Mr. Plowdeu’s review ought to bo read and is quoted below :—
*• Thoro are two questions under consideration. One, tho right of Biitish merchants in
general to trade on the Tigris in British registered vessels flying the British flag. The
other, the c induct of the Ottoman Government iu stopping by force two British steamers en­
gaged in trade on the Tigris under tho British flag, and carrying British mails.
Tho Firman of the 29th December 1834 has net, it appears to me, any bearing upon
the matter. It was issued in connection with Colonel Cnosncy’s project for establishing
communication whh India via tho Euphrates, for which the Hou60 of Commons had voted
£20,0U0. Tho Firman of August 1341 is, I think, also irrelevant. The Chesney expedi­
tion was broken up in 1837, but tho two etcamors employed in it were retainod on tho
Euphrates under the command of Captuiu II. B. Lynoh, and the Firman of August 1841