Summary
Bagdad (as printed; Baghdad) is, with Basra, the subject of the special-arrangements assurance in the McMahon–Hussein correspondence: McMahon’s No. 4 requires the Arabs to recognise that Britain’s established position and interests in the vilayets of Bagdad and Basra necessitate special administrative arrangements, the Sherif Hussein of Mecca answers with a temporary, compensated British administration of the occupied Iraqi districts, and McMahon twice defers the detailed settlement — in No. 6 to fuller consideration than the urgency permits, and in No. 8 to the time of peaceful settlement after the enemy’s defeat (Correspondence between Sir Henry McMahon and the Sherif Hussein of Mecca, July 1915–March 1916, PDF p.8, 10, 12, 14).
Details
- No. 4, assurance (5) (24 October 1915): special administrative arrangements in Bagdad and Basra, to secure the territories from foreign aggression, promote the local populations’ welfare and safeguard mutual economic interests; footnote (10) records that the former reading used the stronger term of administrative control (PDF p.8).
- No. 5, point 2 (5 November 1915): Hussein argues the Iraqi vilayets are parts of the pure Arab Kingdom and greatly valued by all Arabs, but offers to leave the districts occupied by British troops under British administration for a short time, without prejudice to either party’s rights, against compensation to the Arab Kingdom for the period of occupation (PDF p.10).
- No. 6 (14 December 1915): Britain’s interests demand a friendly and stable administration in the vilayet of Bagdad, whose safeguarding calls for much fuller consideration than the present situation and urgency permit (PDF p.12).
- No. 7 (1 January 1916): Hussein leaves the compensation amount for El Iraq to Britain’s wisdom and justice (PDF p.13).
- No. 8 (25 January 1916): McMahon notes the Bagdad remarks and will take the question into careful consideration when the enemy has been defeated and the time for peaceful settlement arrives (PDF p.14).
Related pages
Correspondence between Sir Henry McMahon and the Sherif Hussein of Mecca, July 1915–March 1916, Basra, Britain, Sherif Hussein of Mecca