Page 264 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

238 Fart III.
with a viow to institute a now service on the Tigris and had ordered new
steamers. Two steamers had been handed in pieces at Basrah and the work
of constructing them was proceeding rapidly, one large was nearly ready for
launching. The now steamers arc 210 feet long, 33 feet in the beam, and G feet
G inches deep. Their draught when carrying a full cargo, 230 tons and 250
passengers, would ho 4 feet 0 inches. After describing them fully, Mr Grow
Consul at Basrah, observes in his letter No. 3, dated 20th January 100 J. to Sir
N. O’Conor
" It will bo seen from the above particulars that the new vessels arc first class modern boat<i
ami in overy way suporior to anything Messrs. Lynch Brothers have now on the river They
surpass the latter in speed and almost double them in carrying capacity, as steamer ami barge
combined will carry 405 tons, as against the 250—300 tons carried by the Meiulie and
K/talifah. They are, moreover, fitted with electric light and search-light which will give them
an immense advantage in tho tortuous navigation of tho river. Lynch's steamers at presont
ouly travel at uight whou thoro is a moon.
,f ltis evident that the amalgamation of the Seniye steamers with the Onian-Oltoman line
which has now four vessels—the Mosul, Frat, Jlexa/a and llangrladi though the last is prac­
tically a derlict—will present a most formidable combination against Messrs. Lynch's
Company, and the latter will soon havo to fight for its very existence on the river. Tho
Seniye can work six boats against their two, and the right of Messrs. Lynch to supplemont
their weekly carrying capacity with a barge is not unequivocal, and may be called in question
any moment. Tho Seniye will, therefore, be able to have two boats always ahead of Lynch’s
weekly steamer. This is an important consideration in view of tho narrowness and incomplete­
ness of the channel and the total inadequacy of the Custom House wharf at Baghdad, which
is too small to berth more than one vessel at a time. Lynch's steamer will probably incur
serious delay and their traffic arrangements must necessarily suffer."
299. Mr. Crow anticipated a considerable reduction in the rate of freights
and fares from Basrah to Baghdad. lie thought that the new element about to
be introduced into the competition for tho carrying traffic of the river would no
doubt be of great public utility.

(xvi) The new mail Contract.
300. With reference to the Government of India’s despatch No. 3 50, dated
24th September 1903 (sec paragraph 297
External A., February 1001, Noe. 23--24.
above), the Secretary of State enquired
by telegram, dated 8tli December 1903, what moditicatious should be introduced
in the new contract with Messrs. Lynch and Company. The Secretary of State
was of opinion that tclauses 5, 6 and 11 clearly required remodelling so as to
ensure enforcement of penalties for unpunctuality iu arriving as well as in
starling.
301. The Government of India after consulting the Director-General of
Post Offices, proposed in their despatch No. 10, dated 14th January 1‘JU4, the
modifications required for the purpose in view.
301 A. The new contract was signed on 30th of March 1905. It is to have
effect from 1st May 1904 to 30th April
External A., July 1905, Soa. 22—24.
1914. The subsidy is fixed at the rate of
Rs. 24,000 per annum. In tho new contraot a penalty has been provided for
delay as well as for failure to provide efficient vessels, subject, however, to tho
following condition in either case.—
But nevertheless so that the Company shall not in any case be liable to any penalties
under this clause if the default be proved to the satisfaction of the said Government, or of the
said Government Officer, to have arisen from accident or circumstances over which the Com­
pany or their sen-ants had not and could not have had any control, or to have been oceasionrd
by insufficiency of water in the low season and to have been unavoidable by the Company
consistently with the reasonable requirements of their trade.
Tho words “ or to have been occasioned by insufficiency of water ” (et seg)
wore added in the new contract at the request of tho Company.