^.V IMPORTANT STIPULATION. 103 



appear that the stipulation that the line is to be 

 constructed in eight years would necessitate its con- 

 tinuation without delay ; but it must be remembered 

 that the convention has been drawn up by wily Ger- 

 mans, who knew perfectly well what they were about. 

 This stipulation is, in the first place, dependent on the 

 punctual fulfilment by the Government of its financial 

 obligations towards the concessionaire ; and, secondly, 

 is subject to delays arising from/o7^ce majeure, and the 

 definition given of force majeure is a curious one : 

 "Seront egalement consideres comme cas de force 

 majeure une guerre entre Puissances Europeennes, 

 ainsi quun changement capital dans la situation 

 financier e de VAllemagne, de VAngleterre ou de la 

 France." The convention abounds with curious pro- 

 visions of a similar nature, safeguarding the C07i- 

 cessionaire, and it is perfectly easy, as a friend of 

 mine remarked, to drive a carriage-and-pair through 

 it anywhere. 



Such in brief is the Baghdad railway question. The 

 review which I have given of it makes no pretension 

 to being exhaustive, but space does not admit of a 

 more detailed account. The objects which I have kept 

 more especially in view have been, firstly, to point out 

 that the country through which such a railway will 

 pass cannot fail in the future — though that future 

 may be a distant one — to benefit enormously by its 

 construction, from the point of view both of internal 

 development and of expansion of trade ; secondly, to 

 explain the position of Great Britain with regard to 

 it ; and, lastly, to give a warning to any one who takes 

 any interest in the question against being led astray 

 from the real issues at stake by the prejudiced utter- 

 ances of Germanophobe orators, or the irresponsible 

 ebullitions of a Germanophobe press. 



