Page 232 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

206 Part III.
(v) Turkish opposition to tho British Postal Service, and attempt to
replace it with their own Postal Service, 1881—1884: Turkish
steam service on the Tigris-

154. Early in 1S81 the first signs of an intention to interfere with postal
arrangements began by a demand from the Custom-house authorities that a
Customs messenger instead of a British ltcsidcncy Jvavas should accompany
the addressee of a parcel to tlio Custom-house. This change was agreed to by
the Consul-General without demur as the innovation was trifling and thero
were no grounds on which to object. This however was merely the beginning
of a system of obstruction which resulted in (1) a complete alteration in the
mode of delivering parcel mails introduced by Sir Arnold Kcmball in 1SG8, (2)
the stoppage of a house to house delivery of letters in the town, (3) the closing
of the t nvn post oflico ns Basrah, the existence of which has already been
explained, and interference in other matters which will bo dealt with below.
155. In 1SS2 tbo subject of the Post Office in Turkish Arbia was taken up
at Constantinople by the Ottoman Minister for Foreign A llnirs and a demand
made that the pest offices at Baghdad and Basrah should he closed and the
desert, post abolished. In reply to this demand the Ambassador merely referred
to the recognition accorded by the Sublime Porte in the preceding year to the
dromedary post between Damascus and Baghdad [see Chapter XI (iii)] and
the demand at tho time was withdrawn, a promise being made that the suppres­
sion of British Indian posts in Turkish Arabia -would not be pressed.
ICO*. Early in 1S83, however, the Director-General of Ottoman Posts and Tele­
graphs complained to II. M.’s Postmaster General that foreign correspondence
carried to Baghdad by tho English dromedary post and specially marked “ Par
Po>te Ottomanc ” was delivered by tho British post olficc at Baghdad and
subjected to a surcharge of 2 piastres per three grammes. Tho complaint was
referred to Mr. E. It. Hogg, tho Director General of the Indian Post Office, and
it was explained to U. M.’s Post Master General that tho desert post was quite
apart from the British Indian post office at Baghdad, and that mails carried by
it were dealt with entirely in tho office of the Consul-General and that the
charge referred to was not postal. This complaint was followed by a repre­
sentation to tho Embassy at Constantinople from the Ottoman Minister for
Foreign Affairs that great inconvenience was caused by the English Postal
Service between Baghdad and Damascus running side by side with the Ottoman
line and by the existence of post olficcs in Baghdad and Basrah. In reply to
this H. M’s Charge d’Affaires referred to the recognition accorded in 18S1 by
the Sublime Porte aud to the promise made to the Embassy in July 1SS2.
157. In June 1883, .as we have noted above [Chapter IX (xi) ], on the
pretext that the Euphrates'and Tigris Steam Navigation Company were about
to run a third steamer on the Tigris, tho Turkish Governor at Basrah and the
Commodore of the Turkish Fleet in Turkish’Arabia issued orders to prevent the
English mail steamer entering tho Tigris from Basrah. It was finally settled in
an amicable manner with the Sublime Porte by the Embassy at Constantinople
that the status qua with regard to tho steamcrs’to and from Baghdad should be
maintained.
158. "While these negotiations were going on the following notice was posted
A., Political E,, February 1894, N«». 235-213. in Baghdad, dated 20th August 1883, and
Eitcr iml A., November lfcfc’4 Nc«. 472-4S0. at tho same time the Vnli demanded that
the town post office and pillar letter box
at Basrah should be removed at once:—
^ better ft'lminutrition of Busrnh post office a central post office lint bron opened in Kivor Navigation Office in
“ Packets will lioi.c-forwnrd be dosed for Bmrali, Gama, Aninrnli, and Kut Uics* week, namely, on Monday* for
conveyance by Tumuli, nnd on Tltnriday by Lynch's stcamor* tE. 4 T. S. N. Co. and Idlers, ordinary and regi»torrrd
will bo rtcciwd up to 0 /. M. on ll.jic day*.
"Iti* therefore nccc«s»ry for nil lminc letter* to take them to obnvo mentioned post office. Should nny pc’*:»
•end or accept Mtora not duly stamped with Turkish alumni ho will bu lined from one to live Tnrkhli liras accord mb’
to circuuutnn.'cs."
159. This notice was important as regarded Lynch’s steamers as no mails
closed by the Turkish post office would be or were ever accepted by the Com­
manders. The threat contained in the last paragraph of tlio notice was in one
or two instances actually enforced and caused some consternation among
Unni mddonfs. as merchants and even Ottoman Government officials almost