Page 223 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter XI. 197
CHAPTER XI.
The British Postal Service on the Tigris from Basrah to Baghdad and
the Turkish attempts to abolish it.*
108. Boiled in tlioir attempts to drive tho British shipping enterprise on
the Tigris, as above narrated, tho Turks directed their efforts against the British
influence by trying to doprivo them o£ their long established right of carrying
mails between Basrah and Baghdad.
(i) History of the British Postal Service in Turkish Arabia from
early times to 1867.
109. Before describing these events wo must trace the origin and previous
history of this postal service. Wo shall first give general history of tho postal-
sorvicc in the Persian Gulf, and then proceed to trace tho growth of tho postal
service on tho Tigris between Basrah and Baghdad.
110. In the earliest times, tho Political Agencies appear to have boon depend­
ent, for communication with India, on the occasional visits of Indian Navy
vessels from Bombay, but from an early date in tho iSth century postal commu­
nication of a desultory kind was maintained between Basrah and England vid
Aleppo and Constantinople. In tho last years of the contury regular fortnightly
communication was established between Bombay and Basrah, by means of the
cruisers of tho Bombay Marino, while between Basrah and Aleppo, under the
supervision of tho Company’s Agent, a regular dromedary post was kept up, and
from Aleppo a liorse-post to Constantinople. It is interesting to learn that in
1789 Lord Nelson, after the battlo of the Nile, communicated tho intelligence
of his victory to the Bombay Government by this route.
111. In 1883 tho desert post was closed, as despatches forwarded over
land were sent in the Company’s cruisers via Cossiin on tho Red Sea and Cairo.
112. In July 183G, Colonel Chesncy submitted two letters to the Commis-
c . * u » 41 c . „ 44, siouers for Affairs of India, afterwards duly
Sco dcanatch of tho Secret Comnullco to tho
... J
Oovcmor.Oen,ml in Council, No. ,Lite.I M COmmUniCaiCCl to tllC beoiet Committee On
DocoralKsr 1830 (non,hay Political Department, Vol- tllC Opening of a line Of postal COmmUni-
'’™ " ‘83S'37)- cation to India l,y way of tho Euphrates.
The first letter dated 16th July 1S3G, contains tho opinions of Colonel Chesney
and his officers on the advantages and disadvantages of tho Euphrates as a line
of communication with Europe and on the commercial advantages likely to
result from the navigation of the Euphrates by steam. Colonel Chesney was
decided in his opinion that tho Euphrates was navigable throughout the year
with proper sized vessels and that there wras ample supply of fuel along the
banks of different kinds. His officers generally concurred in this view.
113. The second despatch, dated 17tb July 1836, oxpresscs the opinion of
Colonel Chesney on the political advantages wo should derive from the naviga­
tion of tho Euphrates as a check to tho progress of Russia or tho Pasha of Egypt
iu that quarter.
114. At this time Mr. Barren, the British Consul-General for Syria, was
maintaining a Dromedary Post between Damascus aDd Hit as well as a communi­
cation by post between Beyrout and Damascus, while a regular communication
by steam bad been established between England and Beyrout. The question
then was whether a postal line by this route as far as Baghdad and thence by the
Tigris with the Persian Gulf would not be easier and more economical. Colo­
nel Chcsney’s optimistic opinion as to the navigability of the Euphrates was
in striking contrast with the fate which his steamer Euphrates met with in
ascending that river, and another great difficulty was tho disturbances among
tho Arab tribes on that river, which were muoh moro frequent and of a more
violent character than those on the Tigris.
115. Tho further quostion was whether, as between England and India, the
route by way of Suez and Alexandria would not bo tho safest, quickest and
cheapest of the three.
• For r portiona of thia Chapter I um imlubtod to Mr. O'Shca’a Mcinoraudum'on Britiih Poit Offlcea In the feraiau
Gulf ami Turkith Arabia, 1888, revised by Mr. 1\ Wbympcr iu. Juuo 11)05.
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