Page 241 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter XI. 215
41 lakhs o£ rupocs, distributed, in proportions which I have no mcann of ascertaining ovor
noven postal lines, two of which conncot Busrah with India. It might he possible before
assenting to tho introduction of tbo International Postal system to propose a modification of
Art. IV requiring Turkey to contribute towards the expense of a Postal service by whioh
her subjocts so largely bonefit, when the Ottoman Government might perhaps shrink from
tho cost which such a proposal, if oarried, would entail, and withdraw the present demand."
181-A. What answer upon this was given to tho Porte cannot be found
hut it must have been such as to silence the Porte for some years.
(viii) Turkish attempt at abolishing the British Postal Service, 1894.
182. In 1894, tho Turkish Director-General of Posts proposed that all
correspondence on arrival at "Basrah from
Transm'mion by our post officos of Jotters posted
la Turkish post offices in Baghdad and Basrah. India for addresses in Turkish Arabia
including Baghdad should he made over
External A., October 1301, Nos. 26.29.
as closed mails to the Turkish Post Office
in Basrah, and that all letters for India/row Baghdad should be collected and
conveyed to Basrah by the Turkish Postal authorities, and there handed over in
closed bags to the British Post Office for despatch and conveyance to India at
the cost of the Indian Government. In the opinion of Colonel Mocker (letter
to the Postmaster-General, No, 416, dated 27th July 1S94) such a proposal
raeaut that wo should no longer carry or deliver any mails between or at Basrah
and Baghdad.
183. The rule adoptod by the Resident after consulting the Postmaster-
General for the guidauco of the Post Master at Baghdad was “ that he will bo
ready to accept and forward to their destination all letters which the Turkish
Post Office may send him coming from Turkey or other foreign countries
addressed to towns in India, etc., except letters from Baghdad, Basrah or Pao,
which unless hearing British Indian stamps, ho will consider as unfranked
letters.”
184. The existing procedure appears from article 192, Section III of the
Postal Guide :—
" 192. Tbo Indian Government maintains post offices at Basrah and Baghdad. It docs
Correspondence for places otbor than Bssbra and not, however, undortakc to deliver articles posted
for Kot-ol-Araarah, Amarab Killeli, Kcrbclah,
Mosoul, or other towns in the Turkish Empire in Asia: such articles will be transferred to
the Turkish Post Office for disposal;"*
(ix) Question of delivery of postal parcels at Baghdad and Basrah.
185. This question has been one which the Turkish officials have seized I
upon to subject the British service to all sorts of potty obstruction.
186. When the post office was first established at Baghdad the carriage of
parcels as well as letters was undertaken as
P»rc»!i.
a matter of course. The office had, however,
only been open a very short time when in 1865, the Consul-General, Sir Arnold
Keraball, discovered that local traders were using the parcel post for the import­
ation of dutiable articles and thus evading the payment of Customs dues. He
suspended the transmission of parcels through the Baghdad post office while tho !
following proposals were submitted to the Vali or Governor-General at Baghdad :
—(1). No outgoing parcel was to bo received unless covered by an Ottoman
Custom-house pass. (2). Incoming parcels were to be delivered with the letter
mail at the Consulate General, but no parcel delivered to the addrossec.except
through the Custom-house, which was to be allowed full liberty to inspect the
manifest. There is nothing on record to show that these proposals were accept­
ed, but as the interchange of parcels between Baghdad and other offices was
resumed and the procedure proposed by Sir Arnold Kemball adopted at Baghdad,
consent must have been obtained.
187. The procedure was briefly as follows in regard to incoming parcels:—
Closed parcel hags were landed at the Consulate with the letter mails. The
parcels wero retained in deposit and intimation sent to addressees. On a parcel
being claimed it was sent by tho addressoe, accompanied by a Residency Kavas,

* March 1904 tho Porto addresssd a no It ttrbaU to tho British Ambassador complaining of tho transport bf lot.
iqak III
. Eilsrosl A., rsbrusry 1908. No. 18. lorj by Briti»h steamer* between Basra and Baghdad and
0f tho affixing of British slumps to tho envelopes. Major Now.
march polntod out that tho prsctico of carrying letters between Uusrah and Baghdad in British mail steamers after
baing posted in tho British Pool Offices at thoso places was an old ono and tho British Porte could not be expected to
carry loiters bearing Turkish stamps or no etaiupi, though os a matter of cnuitosy inoroly. a Turkish mail hair was still
carried to and from the various ports on tho rivur at the iolo risk of tho Turkish authorities.