1. EARL of RONALDSHAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state during how many years the navigation of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers has been conducted by the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company; whether the company is a British company flying the British flag; 1832 whether the company, with the approval of His Majesty's Government, entered into negotiations with the Turkish Government in 1909 with a view to the foundation of a new Turkish company, under its management, to take over the Turkish Government steamers plying upon the rivers; whether, with the approval of His Majesty's Government, the scope of these negotiations was subsequently enlarged so as to include the British company and a resolution passed by the Ottoman Chamber authorising the Turkish Government to conclude the transaction with the British company; whether this resolution has been given effect to and, if not, for what reason has it not; will he say if His Majesty's Government are seeking to make it a condition of their assent to an increase in the Turkish Customs Duties that a monopoly of the navigation of these rivers shall be granted for a period of sixty years to a new Anglo-Turkish company distinct from the existing British company; and, if so, will he say for what reason it is sought to take the formation of the proposed new company out of the hands of the existing British company?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. Grey)The reply to the first question is that the company named has, under strict limitations, participated in, but not conducted, the whole navigation of the Tigris since 1862; the reply to the second question is in the affirmative; the reply to the third question is in the negative for His Majesty's Government were not aware of the commencement of negotiations in 1909; the reply to the fourth question, in so far as concerns the attitude of His Majesty's Government, is that the negotiations for the fusion of the British and Turkish companies were entered into by Mr. Lynch in 1909 without knowledge of the Foreign Office, who, in that year, first obtained information on the subject from the late Sir G. Mackenzie of the British India Steam Navigation Company; he had been negotiating, with the approval and support of His Majesty's Government, since the year 1901 for control over the Turkish line of steamers. In June, 1909, Sir George Mackenzie agreed to withdraw for the time from competition, and he induced other British firms in Mesopotamia to withdraw active opposition to the Lynch fusion scheme, and from then, until the breakdown of negotiations in July, 1910, British diplomatic support was given to Mr. Lynch's scheme. The answer to the 1833 fourth question, in so far as concerns the resolution of the Ottoman Chamber, is in the affirmative. The answer to the fifth question is that the resolution stipulated that there should be no financial liability, as proposed under the scheme, upon the Turkish Treasury, and the Turkish Government declined to proceed with it because considerable opposition to it was manifested in Baghdad and Bussorah, and a strong feeling against it developed in the Turkish Chamber in view of that opposition. The answer to the sixth question is that the proposal is to form an Ottoman company with British participation, and at the same time to safeguard and confirm the rights actually enjoyed by the existing British company, of which Mr. Lynch is chairman. The answer to the last question is that I am concerned with the general interests of British trade in those regions rather than with the particular advantage of an individual firm; that., with this object in view, I do not consider it the most desirable solution that the existing British company should have a monopoly of and control over the whole navigation. The arrangement contemplated would secure to the existing British company the confirmation of its existing separate privileges, and the offer of participation in the capital of, and a fair working agreement with, the proposed new Ottoman company.
5. EARL of RONALDSHAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the nature of the assurances which he has received from the German Government on the subject of the navigation of the Tigris and Euphrates; and will lie give the House an opportunity of considering the terms of the proposed Convention with Turkey, together with the cognate arrangements with the German Government, before the Convention is actually concluded?
§ Sir E. GREYI cannot at present make any statement respecting the negotiations on this subject which are still in progress. The arrangements when completed will be laid before Parliament, but it would not be usual or practicable to make their conclusion dependent upon previous discussion in the House.