The item contains extracts from a letter, telegrams and a note, covering the period November 1914 to December 1916, and all relating to the permanent British Occupation of Basra:Extract from a letter from Sir Percy Zachariah Cox to Persian Gulf and other Chiefs, including the Sheikh of Mohamerrah [Khorramshahr] and the Amir of Nejd [Najd], November 1914 - informing the Chiefs that Britain would never allow Basra to be subject to Turkish Authority again;Extract from Viceroy's Telegram, dated 7 December 1914 - regarding a request from Sir Percy Cox to make a public announcement of the permanent occupation of Basra by the British;Telegram to Viceroy, from Secretary of State (for India), dated 9 December 1914 - advising against a public announcement regarding the permanent occupation of Basra as it would be a breach of the undertaking agreed with Britain's allies;Telegram to Viceroy, from Secretary of State (for India), dated 19 December 1914 - requesting that Cox be permitted to intimate in conversation that Basra would not be returned to the Turks, in order to provide reassurance;Telegram to Viceroy, from Secretary of State (for India), dated 25 December 1914 - informing that there would be no objection to Cox intimating in conversation with those already under British control circumstances regarding future protection against the Turks;Summary, written by Sir Arthur Hirtzel and dated 14 December 1916, of a statement made by His Excellency Lord Hardinge, during a visit to Mesopotamia, in response to a deputation from the British community of Basra, 3 February 1915 - regarding the British not being able to make statements on the future owing to their commitments to allies, but that there was no intention of them withdrawing from Basra.1 file (4 folios)Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 98 and terminates at folio 101, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right hand corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between folios 6-153; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.
This memorandum, written by Lieutenant-Colonel William Frederick Travers O'Connor, concerns the new subdivision of Persia into two spheres of influence – Russian and British – with the present neutral zone falling into the British sphere. The memorandum considers what system of Consular or other representation should be adopted in order to maintain not only law and order, but also British influence in the area.Before discussing the issue of Consular representation, O'Connor mentions two alternative suggestions regarding the future of Southern Persia (the first being that Britain should decline to extend its influence beyond its present zone, and the second being that Southern Persia should be turned into one or more independent states), which he dismisses as lying outside the sphere of practical politics.Assuming that the British sphere will encompass the whole of Southern Persia, O'Connor advocates the continuation of the existing post of British Minister at Tehran (located in the Russian sphere), and suggests that the Minister should be supported by Consular officers residing in the capital of each province. O'Connor suggests that Consul or Consul-General posts – to be held by officers of the Indian Political Department – should be present in the following places: Sistan [also spelled Seistan in this file] (as at present); Kerman (for the province of Kerman); Shiraz (for Fars, excluding the Gulf hinterland); Mohammerah [Khorramshahr in modern-day Iran] (for Arabistan); and Bushire (for the Gulf and for hinterland affairs).In addition, O'Connor advocates the appointment of a Resident or Consul in the Bakhtiari country. He suggests that his proposed Consulates be run in the same way as the existing Consulates at Seistan, Meshed and Kerman.O'Connor goes on to address the problem of the rivalry between the Home Government and the Indian Government on the subject of Southern Persia. He makes the following two proposals: either Southern Persia should be placed under direct control of the Indian Government, or it should be guaranteed that the Minister at Tehran will always be an officer from British India, who has been nominated for the post by the Indian Government.In this memorandum, O'Connor suggests that the future arrangement of Consular representation in Southern Persia has been made complicated by the anomalous status of the Resident in the Persian Gulf. O'Connor argues that, in the post-war period, whilst it would still be possible to retain a Resident at Bushire, it would not need to be such an important and highly paid appointment; he appears to imply that his proposed Consul at Shiraz and Consul at Bushire would take over the Resident's responsibilities regarding inland Persia and the Gulf and its hinterland respectively.1 file (3 folios)The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 18, and terminates at f 20, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
This file is comprised of copies of a series of agreements, engagements, and conventions concerning Britain and a number of related parties regarding the construction and/or extension of telegraph lines in Turkey, Persia, the Persian Gulf, and Mekran [Makran Coast] between 1853 and 1916. Related parties include the Chiefs of the Arabian coast (referred to as 'the Chiefs of the Pirates Coast'), Persia, Turkey, and Russia.In addition, there are copies of two concessions granted to the Indo-European Telegraph Company, from 1868 and 1869 respectively (a renewal of the 1868 concession, made in 1882, is also included).1 file (18 folios)The file contains a table of contents at the front of the volume. The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order (with some exceptions) from the front to the rear of the file.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 21, and terminates at f 38, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
Memorandum, written by Sir Frederic Arthur Hirtzel, dated 25 May 1916, examining the implications of war with Turkey on Great Britain particularly the importance to Germany of a Turco-Ottoman alliance and the integrity of the Ottoman Empire, and the corresponding importance of its dissolution to Great Britain.The memorandum discusses Germany's need for raw materials and its realisation that supplies from Asiatic Turkey may take years to establish; the German threat to the Suez Canal and the Dardanelles; the threat to India from Mesopotamia; the dangers of Pan-islamism; the potential risks of waging war on a Moslem [Muslim] power, particularly given British relations in the Persian Gulf; and the possible outcomes of the war with Germany and the likely position of Turkey in relation to them.Enclosed with the memorandum are two appendices:Appendix I: Extract from an article by Dr Hans Delbrück in the
Schwäbische Merkur17 May 1916, summarising the German ideal of 'weltpolitik' (world policy);Appendix II: Extract memorandum by Sir Mark Sykes on "The problem of the Near East", dated 20 June 1916.Sir Frederic Arthur Hirtzel is not named on the memorandum as its author, however IOR/L/PS/18/B234 refers to him as its author.4 foliosFoliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 51 and terminates at folio 54, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in the volume; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.
This note on the effects of the Arab rising on Aden and its hinterland, with special reference to the possible action of the Turks, was forwarded from the General Officer Commanding and Political Resident in Aden, William C Walton, to the Secretary to the Government of India in the Foreign Department. It discusses the arrangement of an uprising of Arabs against the Turks by the Sherif of Mecca [Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī], and outlines the possible effects that a rising could have on the British position in Aden and its Hinterland.1 file (2 folios)This file consists of a single document.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 49, and terminates at f 50, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
This file contains a letter from Brigadier-General Charles Henry Uvedale Price, the Political Resident at Aden, in which he forwards a report of a visit to the Idrisi Saiyid Muhammad ibn Ali Muhammad ibn Ahmad at Jezan by Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Fenton Jacob.The report, dated 17 January 1916, covers the various topics which were discussed by Jacob and the Idrisi during their meeting, including:Southern Red Sea patrol policy;trade with Jeddah;Idrisi and foreign trade;kerosine oil;port clearances to Idrisi dhows;supplies to Turks;firing on HMS Lanka's boats;Idrisi's animus against Turks;Idrisi military movements;Turkish deserters;Idrisi's political movements;Hashid Wa Bakil;Imam Yahya;Sherif of Mecca;Senussi;Saiyad Mestafa;Idrisi's person;sheiks [shaikhs];honours to Idrisi.The report includes the 'Policy for His Majesty's Ships in the Southern Red Sea Patrol', dated 27 Jan 1916.1 file (4 folios)The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 36, and terminates at f 39, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes, on miscellaneous topics relating to Persia, April to June 1916.The file includes correspondence regarding the following issues:The disposal of Germans and Swedes now interned at TehranThe Russian advance from KermanshahThe enrolment of Tabriz gendarmerie into a Cossack brigadeMovements of the Russian expeditionary force.The file contains correspondence between: the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; HBM Minister, Tehran; the Viceroy; and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, London.The file includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.1 volume (271 folios)The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.The subject 1110 (Persia) consists of three volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/590-592. The volumes are divided into three parts, with each part comprising one volume.Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 273; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
Note written by Sir Thomas William Holderness, Under Secretary of State, India Office, in response to Sir Arthur Hirtzel's memorandum on the war with Turkey (IOR/L/PS/18/B233).The note describes the recommendations of the Inter-Department Committee on Asiatic Turkey, which Sir Thomas Holderness was a member of, and which were based on the assumption by the Committee at the time of its convening that an allied occupation of Constantinople was only weeks away, that Russia would be in possession of the city and surrounding areas and that peace with the Turks would be possible.The committee's responsibility, in light of the assumptions, was as follows:To propose a scheme for Asiatic Turkey that would satisfy Russian, French, Italian and Greek interests in the region and which would suit the needs and requirements of Great Britain; possibilities included the complete partition of the region; the removal of the Ottoman Empire; and decentralisation of Turkey without the need for military intervention.The note goes on to consider potential concerns over German power and influence in Turkey; the dangers of any settlement with Turkey that would not include the ending of the Ottoman Empire; the risks from Germany gaining control of the Balkan States; the danger of pan-Islamism; the possibilities of British interests in the East being achieved if Germany is defeated and Turkey collapses as a military power; and the Mesopotamian Campaign and its development as a serious military operation.1 file (3 folios)Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 55 and terminates at folio 57, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between folios 6-153; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled, and can be found in the same position as the main sequence.
The volume comprises telegrams, despatches, correspondence, memoranda, and notes, relating to military operations in Persia in 1916 and Brigadier General Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes' mission to create a military force.Topics discussed in the correspondence include:The proposed increase of the Cossack Brigade and the question of a formation of an irregular force in south Persia under British officersThe amount of associated costs and responsibility for paymentThe movements of Sir Percy Sykes and his mission after he left Karachi.The principal correspondents include: the Viceroy, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Under Secretary of State, India Office; HM Minister, Tehran, Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes.The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.1 volume (491 folios)The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. The Subject 160 (Sir P Sykes Mission) consists of two volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/579-580, with parts 1 and 2 comprising one volume, and part 3 comprising the second volume.Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 493; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio
The volume is
Who's Who in Mesopotamia, General Staff, India. The volume is marked confidential and was printed in Delhi by Superintendent Government Printing, India, in 1916.The volume consists of an alphabetical list of individuals issued by the Intelligence Branch of the Indian Expeditionary Force 'D'. Each entry includes biographical information relevant to the individual which has been taken from the Branch's files.1 file (136 folios)The volume is arranged alphabetically by name of entry in the list.Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 138; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
The file consists of English translations of six letters originally written by the German Consul, Bushire (Dr Franz Listermann) to the German Imperial Chancellor, Berlin (Dr Theobold von Bethmann-Hollweg) and also from the German Ambassador, London (Count Wolff Metternich). The letters are dated between May and July 1910 and discuss the concession for the mining of red oxide on Abu Musa. They are accompanied by a covering letter from the Under Secretary of State for India to the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.1 volume (32 folios)The papers are arranged chronologically from the front to the rear of the file.Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 32; these numbers are printed or written in pencil, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio.
This file, written by John Evelyn Shuckburgh, India Office, concerns what is referred to as a moratorium scheme for Persia.According to the report, the scheme was first suggested by the Persian Government in March 1915, when it proposed that Persia should be relieved, for a fixed period of two years (dated from the beginning of the First World War), of all payments on its British and Russian loans.The report discusses an adopted joint Anglo-Russian subvention, by which the Persian Government should be paid the sum of £30,000 a month (with one quarter of this amount – £7,500 – being taken from Indian revenues), back-dated to January 1915 and continuing until six months after the end of the war.Shuckburgh reports that Charles Murray Marling, British Minister at Tehran, now proposes that Persia be paid 200,000 tomans a month, equivalent to £57,800, which will require a payment of £14,450 a month from Indian revenues.1 file (2 folios)The file consists of a single report.Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 115, and terminates at f 116, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.