The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-05-14
THE GERMAN BAGDAD R. R.

N.
One of the international complica-
tons that is regarded i'll many quart
erS as having contributed something
to the general feeling of bitterness
which illuminated in the present war
in Europe was the railroad situation
in the Near East. In today's daily
statement of the National Geographic
Society concerning the geography of
OF the European war an interesting
picture of the international difficulties
growing out OF the building of the
German Bagdad Railroad is given
The statement is as follows:
Some years ago there was devel-
oped in Berlin a plan looking to the
construction of a railroad from the
capital of the Teuton empire to the
Persian Gulf. This road was planned
to pass through Asia Minor, thence
across the Euphrates to the Tigris,
pass Nineveh and Bagddd to the Per-
sian Gulf at Bassorah. This road was
to form an all-rail route from the
Baltic sea to the Persian arm of the
Indian Ocean. 1t was to open up
southeastern Asia for Germany as
India had long before been opened
up by England and northern Asia by
Russia.
when the Germans entered upon
their StupenduS scheme, which was
the first effort ever made to open I'D
this vast territory, they Immediately
found themselves running counter to
the wishes and purposes of other ma
tons, and the result was a long SER
les of diplomatic inter-changes which
finally led the Germans to abandon
their purpose OF building through to
the Gulf of Persia and to accept Bag
dad as the Asiatic terminus of the
German road.
The first steps in the evolution of
the German Bagdad railway were
taken in 1885. when a group of Ger
man hnanciers, backed up by the
Deutsche bank. sought and obtained
concession from Turkey for the
construction Of railway from Ismidt
to Angora, lsmidt a port on Marmora
sea and Angora a trade center in the
heart of Asia Minor This was to be
the first link in the great railway
system which was to open the riches
of the east to industrial Germany.
German Diplomacy in the years fol-
lowing this first concession was sue
cessful in establishing the most cor
dial relations between Wilhelmstrasse
and the Sublime Porte
The railway to Angora was
next extended by branch to Konia,
in southeastern Asia Minor, which
stretch was to become trunk line in
the Bagdad railway. In 1899, follow
ing second visit of the Kaiser to
Constantinople, Germany obtained the
concession for extending the railway
from Konia to the Persian Gulf. This
was the year of the official birth of
the 'Bagdadhan,' and the beginning
of an intensified British German
struggle of diplomacy on the Near
East: The frman constituting the
Bagdad railway company was OBJ
tanned in 1908. Immediately nego-
tiations were begun by other inter
tested nations for share in the con-
struction of the line through Meso-
potamia. Germany made no strong
effort to withstand international par
ticipation.
In 1911, the original concession
was modified by a series of negotia-
tons. British diplomacy succeeded
in blocking the Germany railway from
the Persian Gulf by persuading Sheik
Mobarek, practically independent rul-
er over his small domain. to refuse
the Bagdad railway terminus at
koweit. So, in the 1911 agreements
the company renowned its right to
build beyond Bagdad, STIMULATING
solely that it should have an equal
share in any future extension to the
gulf. Some other cessions of its orr
ginal rights were made, and, in re-
turn, the company was given the
right to build branch line to Alex
anderetta, a rising Asia Minor Med
iterranean port. The value of trade
passing through this port in 1911
was 100000. Work toward the
completion of the project was going
steadily forward before the war broke
out
"The Berlin-Bagdad railway was
to be strong factor in aiding Ger
many to dominant position in trade
with Asia Minor, the Mesopotamian
valley. and Persia and Northeastern
India. The railway was to have a
Mediterranean terminus, that might
serve as naval base, at Alexanderet-
ia, but eight hours steaming from
Cyprus and thirty-Six hours from the
Suez canal. 1t was to carry endless
trains for freight between countries
with a superabundance of natural re-
sources and an empire over-rich in
industrial Organization"