Page 276 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

216 Part III.
for porvica in the Peraian Gulf has already produced a powerful impression both in Persia and
in Turkish Arabia ; of the effect of this impression at Tehran Your Lordship will ho informed
by His Majesty's Charge d'Affairos at the Court of tho Shah; here it has been of the
greatest advantage in repressing those insurrectionary symptoms, which were called into
activity by the rumours of a Persian invasion, and which, if they had gained any head, would
have held out tho strongest inducements to the Shah to put his threatened invasion in
execution.
“The Akbar on her recent visit to the Euphrates proccodcd up the river with tho Governor
of Basrah on board, as far ns Kurna; and I met with repeated proofs during tho trip
which I have just made in the Comet to communicato with tho steam frigate that her presence
had satisfied the Arabs of our intention to intorfero actively in this quarter, if hostilities should
arise with Persia, and of the consequent inutility of their offering further opposition to the
Turkish authorities/'
342. In this naval demons ration the British had the tacit consent and
liearty welcome of tho Turkish Government.
343. In 1858 tho British fleet ascended up tho Shat*cl-Arab and captured
Mohammerah, using Maaghil for coal and store depot, without any objection
having boon raised by tho Turks.
341. Apart from these warlike expeditions our naval ships have been cons­
tantly visiting Basrah for conveying despatches and other purposes. But none
of our naval ships appear to havo ascended up the river beyond Basrah up to 1874
except tho Akbar in 1S54 and the armed boats of the Euphrates and Tigris
Survoy and tho Nitocria and its successor Cornett under especial arrange­
ments with Turkey.
345. In 187*1 a correspondence took place between tho Turkish Governor
of Baghdad and Her Majesty’s Consul-
Sccrct, October 1874, Noi. 62-GS.
General in connection with the visit of a
British ship-of-war (Philomel) to Eurna, the Vali having protested against her
visit to that place.
346. The Consul-General, replying to the Turkish complaint, said :—
11 It has always been supposed that tho Sbat-el-Arab is a free river, and practically it
certainly is so, and can scarcely be otherwise, Kurna bciug a chief depfit for the exportation
of dates; s*a-going craft under foreign flags arc in the habit of there taking in their
cargoes, etc."
347. The Governor of Baghdad replied
“ It needs no comment that the part from Basrah to Kurna is not a free river, but the
Turkish side with its dependencies to the point below Basrah ou tho Shat-el-Arab, and specially
both banks above Basrah being the real possession of the Ottoman Government, the entry of
foreign merchant vessels and specially vessels of war into a river such as this, of which the
fountain head and outlet are situated within the dominions of the Ottoman Government, un­
less it be with the consent and acquiescence of the Government, is according to rules inadmis-
348. Here a distinction appears to have been made between the navigation
of tho portion of the river above Basrah and of the lower portion ; and it may
probably be intended to convey the impression that although the lower part,
where Turkey owns the right bank only, may he free, this is not the case as
regards the upper part where Turkey owns both the banks of the river.
349. In 1881 the Turkish Under-Secretary for Poreign Affairs, Artin ECFcndi,
made a communication to M. Marinitch,
Secret, May 1882, Km. 213-255.
of which a memorandum was forwarded
to tho Poreign Office with Lord Duffcrin’s Despatch No. 5S7, dated 20th July
1881
Date Pcra, le 15 Juillefc 1881.
MEMORANDUM.
Le Mustcchnr du Ministbre des Affaires Etrangcrcs m’a donne communication d'un
telejjiara dc Bagdad par lequel le Vali informe la Porto quo d'aprbs les registres do la prefecture
maritime de Mursorah il resulte que les navires de guerre strangers n'ont remonte lo fleuvc quo
jusqu’a Couina a pres cn avoir sollicitc et obtenu au prdalablc I’autorisation necesaaire.
ParOrdrc du Ministbre des Affaires Etrangbrcs S. A. Artin Effcndi prend la libcrtc dc
recommandcr b l'Ambassadc Royalo dc vouloir bien fairs co sorto quo les navirca de guerre
Anplaig a’abstiennent dc remonter le Acuyo au dcssus dc Courna afin d’eviter touto cause do
pouflit.
(SigncJ Marinitch.