APPENDIX. THE EUPHRATES AND INDUS ROUTE TO A DEPUTATION, IN FAVOUR OF THE GOVERNMENT guarantee- The deputation consisted of the Earl of Shaftesbury, Mr. Andrew (Chairman of the Euphrates Valley Railway), Mr. P. Anstruther, Mr. W. F. Ainsworth, Sir F. L. Arthur, Bart., Mr. A. F. Bellasis, Sir W. Colebrooke, C.B., the Earl of Chichester, the Earl of Carnarvon, Major-General Chesney, R.A., Mr. F. Ellis, M.P., Mr. Estcourt Sotheron, M.P, the Hon J. C. Erskine, Mr. A. S. Finlay, M.P., Lord Goderich, Mr. H Gladstone, Mr. W. Hutt, M.P., Mr. Thos. Headlam, M.P., Mr T. B. Horsfall, M P., Col. Harvey, Mr. T. K. Lynch, Mr. John Laird, Mr. Macgregor Laird, Mr. James Merry, M.P., Sir H. Maddock, Major Moore, Sir D. Norreys, M.P., Colonel W. Pinney, M.P, Mr. F. W. Russell, M.P., Sir Justin Shiel, K.C.B., Count Strylecki, Col. Steinbach, Gen. Sabine, Lord Talbot de Malahide, the Lord Mayor (Mr. Alderman Finnis), Mr. Matthew Uzielli, Mr. W. Vansittart, M.P., Sir W. F. Williams of Kars, Mr. A. Denoon, Mr. L. W. Raeburn, Mr. T. A. Yarrow, Mr. Wickham, M.P., Hon. A Kinnaird, M.P., Mr. Arthur Otway, the Earl of Albemarle, Lord Ashley, Mr. Thomas Alcock, M.P., Mr. J. E. Anderdon, Viscount Bangor, Mr. W. Buchanan, M.P., Mr. F. B. Beamish, M.P., Mr. G. Bowyer, M.P., Dr. Boyd, M.P., Major C. Bruce, M.P., Lord Colchester, Lord Cloncurry, Lord Cremorne, Lord R. Clinton, Sir Edw. Colebrooke, M.P., the Hon. H. Cole, M.P., Mr. R. W. Crawford, Alderman Copeland, M.P., the Bishop of Durham, Lord Dufferin, the Earl of Donoughmore, Mr. R. Davison, M.P., Colonel Dunne, M.P., Sir James Duke, M.P., the Earl of Enniskillen, Earl of Erne, Lord Elcho, Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P., Mr. J. C. Ewart, M.P., Sir J. Elphinstone, M.P., Mr. W. Fagan, M.P., Sir R. Ferguson, M.P., Sir G. Foster, M.P., Mr. C. Fortescue, M.P., Mr. F. French, M.P., Lord Robert Grosvenor, M P., Mr. E. Grogan, M.P, Mr. S. Gregson, M.P., Mr. G. Hamilton, M.P., Mr. J. H. Hamilton, M.P., Colonel Harvey, Mr. A. Hastie, M.P., Mr. H. Ingram, M.P., Mr. W. Kirk, M.P., Mr. T. Longman, Lord Monteagle, the Earl of Mayo, Mr. J. R. Mowbray, M.P., Mr. R. Monckton Milnes, M.P., Sir John Macneill, Mr. H. A. Mackinnon, Sir Roderick Murchison, Mr. G. Macartney, M.P., Mr. J. M‘Cann, M.P., Mr. J. M'Clintock, M.P., Mr. M'Evory, M.P., Mr. P. W. Martin, Mr. C. W. Martin, Mr. G. G. M'Pherson, Mr. F. North, M.P., Colonel North, M.P., the Right Hon. J. Napier, M.P., Mr. C. Newdegate, M.P., Sir George Pollock, G.C.B., Mr. J. Pritchard, M.P., the Earl of Roden, Lord Rossmore, Lord Stanley, Lord Sandon, the Bishop of St. David's, Mr. R. Slaney, Mr. W. Sowerby, Mr. A. Turner, M.P., Colonel Taylor, M.P., Mr. W. Tollemache, M.P., Sir H. Verney, Lord Wrottesley, Mr. Whiteside, M.P., Mr. Thos. Williams, Mr. J. A. Warre, M.P.* Lord Shaftesbury introduced the deputation to Lord Palmerston, and pointed out, in forcible language, the vast * Times, 23rd June, 1857. importance to this country of securing an alternative route to India, and the great interest generally felt throughout the country in this great undertaking, so calculated to promote commerce, civilization, and Christianity, and stated that Mr. Andrew, the chairman of the company, would submit to his Lordship more detailed information. Mr. Andrew, after expressing his regret for the unavoidable absence of Lord Stanley, said that for some years it had been considered a great national object to secure an alternative short route to India, but that recently the establishment of the route by the Euphrates had become more and more necessary, and more especially since it had been determined to open up the Valley of the Indus by the application of steam. The great traffic which would pour down this valley from Central Asia and the Punjaub, once flowing towards Kurrachee, would naturally seek an outlet by the sister valley of the Euphrates, at least the lighter and more valuable products, as well as the mails and passengers; but the support of the Government was not sought on commercial grounds. That support was sought alone on the ground of the political importance of this ancient line of communication. The grand object was to connect England with the north-west frontier of India, by steam transit through the Euphrates and Indus Valleys. The latter would render movable to either the Kyber or the Bolan, the two gates of India, the flower of the British army cantoned in the Punjaub; and connected by the Euphrates line by means of steamers, the flank and rear would be threatened of any force advancing through Persia towards India. So that the invasion of India by this great scheme would be placed beyond even speculation; and it would be evident, by the great army of India of 300,000 men being united by this means to the army in England, the mutual support they would render each other would quadruple the power and ascendancy of this country, and promote powerfully the progress, the freedom, and the peace of the world. The countries to be traversed were the richest and most ancient in the world, and might again become the granaries of Europe, and not only supply us with wheat, but with cotton of excellent quality, and his gallant friend, General Chesney, who had recently visited these regions, would tell them that there were hundreds of thousands of camel-loads of this valuable commodity rotting on the ground from the want of the means of transport. Sir W. F. Williams, of Kars, would tell them there was no difficulty in dealing with the Arabs, if they were fairly treated. The Lord Mayor (Finnes), who had had intimate commercial relations with the East, and Mr. Lynch, of Bagdad, who had for many years traded with the Arabs, would speak to the honesty and trustworthiness of the Arab. As to physical difficulty there was none-the line had been surveyed and proved to be singularly easy. Her Majesty's Government had given their powerful influence and support in obtaining the firman and concession. They had placed Her Majesty's ship, Stromboli, at the disposal of General Chesney and Sir John Macneill, and the engineering staff; and Lord Stratford de Redcliffe had lent his powerful advocacy with the Porte. He (Mr. Andrew) was deeply gaateful for the assistance thus far afforded them; but they had now arrived at that point when something more was absolutely necessary, and that was the pecuniary support of Government to enable the capital to be raised for the prosecution of the work. It was not a matter for private individuals to undertake. If they wanted an investment for their funds, they would certainly not choose Turkish Arabia. The establishment of a steam route by the Euphrates had been placed before the public and the Government. Many Chambers of Commerce and other influential associations had already memorialized the Government in favour of granting pecuniary aid; and it was believed the country was anxious that this route should be carried out by Englishmen, and it now rested with the Government to say whether they concurred in the importance of the work, and if so, whether they would be prepared to recommend such an amount of pecuniary assistance, whether by guarantee or otherwise, as would enable this, the most important undertaking ever submitted to their consideration, to be proceeded with. Sir W. F. Williams, of Kars, stated that during his long residence amongst the Arabs he experienced no difficulty in dealing with them, or in procuring, during his excavations in Susa, any number of workmen he might require; and he also pointed out the great importance of the proposed harbour of Seleucia, as there was not a single good harbour on the Syrian coast. Count Strylecki briefly addressed his lordship on the support of successive Turkish Governments to the undertaking, viewing it as of incalculable political importance to England in relation to her Indian possessions. Mr. Finlay, M.P., speaking from personal acquaintance with the country to be traversed, dwelt on the great capacity for development, if only the means of transport were afforded. General Chesney gave full explanations regarding the harbour, as to its exact position, capacity, &c. Sir Justin Shiel, late ambassador in Persia, dwelt on the political importance of the line, and that it would shorten the distance to Kurrachee, the European port of India, by 1,400 miles. The Lord Mayor had had (through his agents) extensive commercial transactions with the Arabs, and had found them most reliable and honest; and he considered they were as much alive to their own interests as any other race, and would |