The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-27 00:00:00

• 'V'e- esefe ' ,
.7117 E EUPI- I R 4 7ES 'A'LL *al IL l-rAT; .4V2,
rsv•• fir
Rtelejeined ie the .copy of a • -
el:a: a;tei deeetet tliet ea,.
, Rift C enpeteve by Liejer-Goinesid. -Cianeys
e- i 1 re',. 13, 1857.:
" eere a•varty, obtalliA from tee
Perin such a general set cession as will enable le, to lay
down a railway beteren the .Merliteaganean and tee
Persian Gulf, in three cens,ciit:ve. sections; the first of
which, from the month of the Orontes to Saber Castle
on the Euphrates, has been definitieely settled by the •
concessions and firman of the Sultan ; so that nothing
is wanting to ensure complete success excepting the same
support and co-operation from the Government at home
which it 'has already so warmly bestowed on the under-
taking in Turkey, Referring you to the interesting letter
of Capt. Burgess, R.N., and to the report of Sir John
M'Neill respecting the port to be constructed near the
Orontes and the nature of the country to be traversed,
as well as to the minutes sent home by myself, I shall on
the present occasion confine my observations to four ma-
terial pointa Ist. The advaateges that would accrue to
England ; 2J. Tee existing commerce and its extension ;
3d. The difficulties expected from the Arabs ; 4th. The
means of hying down the proposed railway.
" ISt. By means of the proposed railway, troops and
warlike stores, mails, &c., coull be conveyed from Er.g.
land to India (Kurrachee) in the space of 15 or 16 days,
and to Southern Per-la in a much shorter time. The
opening of this route would, me already stated, enahle
large tracts of country admirably adapted for the growth
of cotton, sugar, coffee, and indigo, to be cultivated,
which now lie comparatively useless, and would lead to
a large increase in the consumption of British manufac-
tures in Turkey, Central Asia, India, and Persia, it be-
ing the moat; direct, and consequently the cheapest
means of transport to those countries. These remarks
apply especially to Persia, to which the Proposed live
gives a much shorter, cheaper, and readier accwit for nor
extensive commerce with that country, than the miserable
mountain mule road from Trebizonde now iu use, aid
which has the additional evil of being partly under Ruse
den control.
" 2nele-Profane as well ai sacred history shows es that
extensive commerce has in all ages been carried en
through Arabia. And so it continues to this very day.
FOr although under the name of Gumrook or custom
duties, trade is subject to some exactions from the Arabs,
it is at this moment very extensive, much more so, it -
deed, than I had ventured to expect. I was aware, from
the Custom-house returns, as given in the appendix to
my work on the expedition to the Euphrates and Tigris,
that the Indian trade to Mesopotamia alone approached
two millions ; but I found the trade through Aleppo and
Northern Syria much more important. Sir John MgeTeil
met in one day 1,453 laden animals beeween Suedia and
Antioch ; and it appeared from the registers that, on an
average, 1,200 camels and horses pass the Jisr Hadid
every day with goods from Aleppo or Killis, and various
other places. The papers sent home by Mr. Kennedy,
which have been printed in connection with the Ea-
phrates Valley Railway, show that 181,000 tons of goods
are annually imported through Aleppo, and 179,800
tons pass from that city for export. These figures, I
must observe, are the results given by Mr. Kennedy ex-
clusive of'Mossnl and Killis, which have been overlooked
by him. The r trade is very considerable. The value of
the above-mentioned imparts is about 1,250,0001., of
which 444,689/. are from Great Britain ; while that of
the exports amount to about 1,050,0001. Of the exports,
it appears that 107,800 tons are brought from towns in
or near Mesopotamia, such as Baghdad, Hillah, Anah,
Bussorab, &0., and that 118,100 tons are imported into
those places. Subsequently to this account from. Mt.
Kennedy, I obtained a copy of a report to the Foreigra
office on the trade of Aleppo from 1851 to 1855 By the
details contained in that paper, it aopears that the im-
ports to and through Aleppo in 1855 amounted to about
1,214,0591. and that the exports were 1,254,1301., irre-
spective of an internal trade with Turkey, which, in
1856, amounted to 1,079,5561. In bringing these faces
before the Tanzitnat, and in pointing out the present
expense of carriage (which is from 41. to 6/. per ton from
Aleppo to Alexandretta), in order to prove that the rail-
way would give ample returns, I had also an opportunity
of showing, by the report of Suleitnan Paella, the late
Governor of Aleppo, that he actually paid into the trea-
sury, in 1853, 17,000 purses, which, being taken at 3
per cent., gives upwards of two millions sterling. Wita
reference to the extension of commerce in these countries,
I may cite that of Mossul—which is not included in the
preceding returns. In 1844, 32,0001. duty were paid by
the Pacba of Mossul, on goods valued at more than one
million sterling. Our consul at that place, Mr. Rageam
(who cultivates cotton rather extensively, and is now in-
troducing the Sea Island plant), assures me that if the
means of tray sport could be procured, there woul f be at
least 300,000 camel loads annually of cotton, wool,
wheat, barley, madder-roots, tobacco, &c., sent :from
Mossul for exportation. But teis is only the increase
that may he expected in one instance. A proportionately
great one is likely to be toe consequence of facility Of
transport' elsewhere. Cotton, silk, and grain will, with-
out any doubt, be more largely cultivated en the plaits
between Suedia and the river Euphrates. In fact, no-
thing is wanting but an outlet and moderate protection,
to'clevelop the resources of this large tract of country—
superior in fertility to Egypt—and to produce an enor-
mous commerce in Mesopotamia and Baoylonia, in
cotton, wool, wheat, indigo, sugar, copper, tobacco, ' va-
lonia, red and yellow berries, &c.
"3d. The next point for consideration—the Arabs—is
usually considered a serious one, indeed more so than it
deserves. For I am firmly persuaded that, with judicious
management, everything can be satisfactorily arranged
with this people. I found this opinion on the fact that
trade has always existed in these countries, and on my
own experience of the Arabs. It is obvious that it they
were to endeavour to stop trade altogether, instead of
levying a toll or duty, as is their practice, they wouid
do themselves an irreparable injury, and they are per-
fectly alive to their own interests in this matter.
With reference to a more enlarged trade, and
to the means of ensuring its security, I think it would
be desirable to carry out the proposal made by Sir John
Malcolm, more than twentyefive years ago, to place a
judicious and influential commissioner in Arabia to
make arrangements with the tribes from time to time.
It is not very long since the Arabs themselves had
agents in Damascus and Aleppo, who received the sti-
pulated duties for the goods passing throno Arabia
under their guarantee. From my experience of these
people, I think such arrangements may be considered
safe and binding. In the papers placed by Government
before Parliament, I have already shown that the Arabs
carried money for me in various small groups, to the
amount of several thousand pounds. They also carried
gunpowder and fire-arms, and various kinds of stores,
without any loss whatever to their employers. They
also placed depots of fuel along the river, and most faith-
fully fulfilled their contracts at distant places, where we
had no kind of control over them. These may be cell-
ed the brighter portions •of my experience of several
years among this people ; for it is quite true that I have
also experienced different treatment from tbem. As a
simple traveller, I have been robbed more than once ;
but I may add, as a curious fact, tbat even under those
circumstances, I was able, on the faith of the English
name, to borrow money from the very individuals who
bad already taken mine. I think, if judiciously manag-
ed by those who know something of their peculiarities,
we have nothing to fear from the Arabs.
" The' singular character of this people enters largely
into the 4th and operative part of the question. The
Sultan's anthority is at present somewhat restricted in
the country, but it will, ere long, be strenwhened and
consolidated in that part of the world. As Khaliph he is
tae acknowledged head of their religion ; but as Sultan
his power is questioned, and sometimes even resisted by
the wandering tribes, though not so by the sedentary in-
habitants' who are more or less obedient to the laws of
the empire. For the first part of the priposed under-
taking, that of the connexion of the Mediterranean with
the Euphrates, there is no danger whatever ; and it is
neeuless to remark that the' completion of this proposed
portion oaf the route alone, ev,ll of itself very materi-
ally shorten the .distance and time between England
and India. Beyond Jaber it may be otherwise, although
I hope not to any serious extent. Indeed, I think that
the protection, as arranged in detail on the part of the
Sultan, will give us the necessary security. Bearing in
mind that the Sultan's power is unquestioned at Mom',
at Baghdad, at Bussorah, and at other places, we have
only to leer the predatory movements of the Nomad
tribes who intervene; and with such pints d'appui, as
yeyseerxiopuesetdtihffiecausletyietfaroemee tehfitithqeuaerettie:u;.
large garrisons in Baghdad and some other places, I do
the theetoaewenrseadleopneg Euphrates and Ti.n dindirectly
upon the
enecti,tec apprehendiy asweaten
Ti-
gris, Sweheeikilinssome m
of
Sultan through the chief Pachas. In short, having the
immediate support and protection of the Sultan, with
ample means at to troops, and our own increasing in-
fluence among the Arabs in consequence of the employ-
ment of their camels and themselves to a larg,e extent, I
do not see that we have anything to fear, nor do I anti-
cipate any difficulty beyond that of organieation in lay-
ing down the rails. The construction of a railway being
a gradual operation. its progress, like my intercourse
with the tribes in 1835, 181‘6, and 1837, will be gradual
also ; during which time they will be taught to second
rather than oppose the railZvay, and by the time it has
reached Aleppo, we may count on the cordial support of
this singular people. Three different messages of con-
gratulation were sent to me whilst recently at Aleppo—
one of these was accompanied by an offer to bring 4,000
or 5,000 workmen from the neighbourhood of Moesul,
some of whom had been employed as the excavators of
the Assyrian ruins.
"In conclusion I may mention that in all my nego-
tiations with the Porte I set aside entirely all increase of
commerce from India, Central Asia, and Persia, and
founded my calculations solely on the commerce now
actually existing, which give the &Bowleg results
The imports to Alexandretta alone amount to 50;000
in
tons, and the exports to about the same; the total value
being about 2e millions sterling 1855, the whole of
which would pass over the railway between the 'Medi-
terranean and Aleppo, and the Euphrates. Tee probable
aytonws,olialtd2br3"P"er
receipts of the firstdesu,elccettxiinoorotife;,etrhle.oceer,anoitol.wo
for working ex-
ftoolnl,72o: —O, TO
(TOP/o.
000'1 • leaves 100 0001 or equal to 7 per
:—lmports
senses, 100, • . .f
cent. on the capital. This is exclusive of passenger traffio
Toe rate of carriage for goods between Aleppo and the
sea varies from 3/. 6s. Bd. to 61. 13s. 4d. per ton; in the
above estimate of the receipts of the proposed railway,
only 21. per ton is charged for the carriage between the
Euphrates and the Mediterranean.
Should you require any further information regard-
ing the concessions which have been obtained from the
Porte, and which you have received in detail, I shall be
most happy to afford it.—l have the honour, &0.,
(Signed) "F. R. ClainaUtT, Major-General."