LORD RAGLANMy Lords, I wish to ask His Majesty's Government whether they propose taking any steps to facilitate the restoration of the Hejaz Railway. The Hejaz Railway, as most of your Lordships know, runs from Damascus to Medina. It was built by the Turkish Government with the object of facilitating the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. It was paid for by subscriptions raised all over the Mahomedan world, and especially in India, and was constituted a religious trust. During the war the bridges on that railway were destroyed by us. They have to a certain extent been repaired, but they have not been rebuilt, and as things are at present there is no prospect of the railway being put into proper order or efficiently run.
This question is one of great importance to all Mahomedans. Most of the people who go on a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina are desirous of going also to Jerusalem. To the Shiah Mahomedans, among whom are many millions of 598 Indians, it is of particular importance, because in order to perform their religious duties they have not only to visit Mecca and Medina but also Kerbela, and to do this their easiest way is to go via Damascus. At the present time they have fewer facilities for performing this pilgrimage than before the war. At present the situation in the Hejaz is uncertain, but one may be quite sure that whichever side wins it will never run the railway efficiently without assistance, and whichever side wins will welcome assistance if it is tactfuly offered. The sort of assistance which I venture to suggest His Majesty's Government might offer would take the form of materials and competent Moslem engineers, and if by this means it is possible to put the railway into working order the British Government might at a very small cost, probably at no cost at all, perform an act which will earn for them the gratitude of all pious Moslems.
THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (THE EARL OF ONSLOW)My Lords, I can only reply as to those sections of the Hejaz railway which lie within the territory for which His Majesty's Government are responsible as the Mandatory Power. His Majesty's Government have no responsibility in this respect for the sections of the Hejaz railway which lie within Syria and the Hejaz. I presume that when the noble Lord speaks of restoration he has in mind the repair of the permanent way, provision of rolling stock, and the organisation of train services on the section concerned.
The position of the section that lies within territory in respect of which we are responsible under the Mandate is as follows:—From Haifa to El Hamme, where the line crosses the Syria-Palestine frontier, and from Nasib, where it crosses again into Trans-Jordan, to Amman, the line is run as a single unit separate from the Palestine Railways, but under the control of the head office and general manager of the Palestine Railways. Trains circulate freely upon these two sections. The control of the Amman-Maan section remains for the moment in the hands of the Hejaz Government, to whom it was assigned by the late chief British representative in Trans-Jordan on his own initiative. His action was not confirmed by His Majesty's Government, but it 599 has not yet been found possible to extend the control of the Palestine Railways' administration further south than Amman. The matter is engaging the careful consideration of the Government, and I am unable to give any definite information on the point at present, but if the noble Lord will put down a Question at some later date I shall be glad to afford him such further information as may be available.