Page 282 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

252 Part III.
" It seems desirable Iboroforo to seek fomo way out of tho difficulty, and I look advantage
of Her Majesty’s Consul, Basrah, being at 13ushiro a short timo ago to suggest that tho views
of both tho Turkish authorities and merchants might bo met by the shipping agents refusing1
to graut passongor tickets to Molmmmorah, while still landing mails and cargo there. This
proposal has been accepted by tho Agent of all the lines plying to Basrah, and will, I believe,
be urged upon the Ottoman Government as a reasonable compromise. No doubt tho few pas­
sengers for Persia who may wish to disembark at Mohammerah may bo a little inconvenienced
by being carried on to Basrah; but they will bo no worso off than they were up to the last
voar, when first steamers made Mohammerah a port of call on the upward voyage, and tho
Korun trado, to aid which that arrangement was made, will not suffer.
“It istruo that that arrangement was mado partly to meet the wishes of tho Persian
Government, but tbo lines lying to Uasrah, all of which lly the British flag, aro under no pro­
mise to carry passengers to Mohammerah, 60 that no breach of contract can be alleged against
their refusal, for the protection of their own interests, to do so in future. It is but a choice
of evils, I fear, but tho course suggested appears t.> involve tho least of them, and I hope Your
Excellency may bo able to represent it in ibis light to the Persian Government.”
381. Dr. Dickson, the British Dclogato to the Board of Health at Cons-
tanlinoplo, always opposed the proposal
Secret E, October 1893, Nos. 7G7-779.
of tho Turkish Government to locato tho
quarantine at Fao for these reasons:—
(1) Fao would ho ineffectual as a Turkish quarantine station because
both banks of the Shat-cl-Arab do not belong to Turkey, and it
could not therefore control all tho vessels that entered that
stream.
(2) The establishment of a Turkish quarantine station at Fao would
cause great annoyance and expense to British ships trading with
Basrah by compelling them to stop at Fao and undergo quaran­
tine there beforo proceeding to Basrah or Mohammerah.
(3) A quarantine station at Fao could not shut cholera out of Mesopo­
tamia any more than to close one window of a house leaving
the door and other windows open, would provent the wind from
getting into tho house.
382. In place of Fao Dr. Dickson proposed to the Board of Health to select
for its quarantine station some place above Hafar, tho canal which connects
the Karun with the Shat-cl-Arab and where both hanks of the river belong to
Turkey. Ho was opposed to the compromise suggested by Colonel Talbot, for it
would be objectionable as a quarantine measure; would tend to strengthen
the pretensions of Turkey to sovereignty over the whole course of the Shat-el-
Arab, and would ultimately lead to much greater quarantine vexation than
those which existed at the time (letter to Sir F. A. Ford, dated 25th December
1892).
383. Lord Kimberley on beiDg consulted expressed the opinion (letter
to the Foreign Office, dated 7th June
Secret E., October 16J3, Km. 7G6-779.
] 893).
“The proposal is one which should bo discouarged by Her Majesty’s Government for
political and commercial reasons, as indicated in Captain Trench’s Memorandum of the 11th
June 1891. The subjection of the trado of the Persian port of Mohammerah to quarantine
regulations, would not be justifiable on principles of international law without the assent and
co-operation of the Persian Government and such assent is not likely to he obtained. The pohm
tical pretensions of the Turkish authorities to the control of the navigation of the Shat-cl-Arab
an4 the jealousy of the position of Mohammerah make it especially inexpedient that they
should under cover of quarantine regulations be enabled to interfere with the trade of the
Persian port."
384*. At tho same timo Lord Kimberley recommended that the proposal of
Colonel Talbot in accordance with which tho shipping companies plying to
Basrah had agreed to refuse to land passengers at Mohammerah, while still
landing mails and cargo there, might be accepted as a temporary measure.
385. In February 1891 Dr. Dickson reported to Sir A. Nicolson that tho
Turkish members of tho Board of Health
Secret E, Jooo 1894, Nos. 338-346.
had proposed the establishment of a laza­
ret at Fao and a floating lazaret near tho mouth of the nafar. During the
discussions Dr. Dickson repeated what he had always maintained, viz., that a