23 Mart 2020 Pazartesi

TNT History Archives: German Coaling Station on Ottoman Red Sea Island for 'War With Japan' (1900-1901)

//Ed. note:  In March 1917, two senior Ottoman diplomats 
reviewed the matter of a coaling station on an island of the 
Farasan Islands group in the southern Red Sea that was 
built for the exclusive use of German warships in 1901, but
currently (1917) occupied by the English fleet during 
World War I.  

The purpose of the coaling station was said to be the 
servicing of the German warships "coming and going, to 
and from, the Japan war."  Evidently, tensions were 
escalating at the time (1900-1901) between Japan and 
Germany, probably in relation to Germany's naval base 
at Tsingtao (Qingdao), China, and/or 'Kaiserwilhemland' 
(German New Guinea).

TNT has transcribed-translated the text from its original
Ottoman Turkish.  The German and Ottoman government
notes were written in French - special thanks to TNT's 
French expert 'Allen' for his superb translations.////


kaiserwilhemland ile ilgili görsel sonucu
An 1898 map of east Asia and European
colonies there. 'Kaiserwilhemland' is at
bottom-right and Tsingtau (Qingdao) is at
top-center.





farasan island map ile ilgili görsel sonucu

The Farasan Islands Issue


In the first part of the year 1900, the German government appealed to
the Bab-ı âli (Ottoman government) to build a coal depot on the island
of Kum, near Farasan Island (in the southern Red Sea).  The purpose 
for the coal station was to provide coal to German warships coming and
going to Japan for war.  Consequently, the German government sought
permission from the Bab-ı âli, as the island's owner.

The Bab-ı âli considered the aspect of setting a bad example by 
providing a foreign government with coaling services in a place where 
other foreign governments had none.  In this context, and in order to
preserve the good relations between the Ottoman Empire and Germany,
the Bab-ı-âli informed Baron Marshall, the German ambassador in 
İstanbul, that it would be more suitable for the Ottoman Tersane-i
Amire (Ottoman naval shipyard in Istanbul) to prepare such a coaling
station that German warships could avail themselves of on the island in
question.

However, in November 1900, a German ship arrived at Kum Island,
built a pier and unloaded an amount of coal there.  The Germans then
proposed that the coal depot to be constructed on the island be given
over for the exclusive use of Germany and added that the presence of 
Ottoman soldiers on the island would be inappropriate.  

Nevertheless, the Ottoman government issued a statement, which it
communicated to foreign nations, declaring that ships of other states 
could use the prospective coal depot planned for Kum Island.  This
statement, though, annoyed the Germans and on 20 November 1900
Ambassador Baron Marshall sent a memorandum to the Bab-ı âli,
requesting that the Ottoman government issue a firm announcement
that the coaling station on Kum Island would be for the exlusive use
of German ships.

farasan island map ile ilgili görsel sonucu

As the result of the subsequent negotiations between the German 
Embassy in Istanbul and the Ottoman Foreign Ministry, the following
notes were exchanged: 


Imperial German Embassy

No. 440
Confidential

Péra, 25 April 1901

The German Embassy has the honor of informing His Excellency 
Tewfik Pasha, Foreign Minister, the following:

The Imperial Ottoman Government, having authorized the German 
Imperial Government to load and unload coal for German ships at 
Farasan Island, the Imperial German Embassy accepts in the name of 
its Government under the following conditions the proposal formulated 
regarding this issue in the Council of Ministers and sanctioned by the 
Irade of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan.

It is understood that:

-- The locale that the Ottoman Government is building will be used 
exclusively for the stockpiling and storage of coal that the German 
Government will deem necessary for leaving temporarily against 
payment of an appropriate rent. The Ottoman authorities will take 
all police measures to assure the depot’s security.

-- All expenses occasioned by the loading and unloading of coal will 
be entirely the responsibility of the German Government. Given that 
the German Government has no other intent than that having available 
in all security a coal depot on Farasan Island, it will completely abstain 
from seeking to obtain profit from the island’s resources.

-- In order to assure a perfect exactitude of in the obtaining and delivery 
of the coal that will be deposited in the specified locale, two German 
wardens will be appointed for these operations. Aside from their 
established tasks, these wardens will have to abstain from interfering 
for any reason in any matter other than that touching upon the receipt 
and the delivery of coal. 

-- In consequence, the agreement is established on the prescribed basis 
and will be maintained in its totality.

bab-ı ali 1916 ile ilgili görsel sonucu
           Bab-ı âli, the seat of the Ottoman Government.

Responding to the German Embassy's note, the Turkish Foreign 
Ministry sent the following message: 



The Sublime Porte

Foreign Ministry
No. 42051/18
29 April 1901

By order of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, Tevfik Pasha, Foreign 
Minister of the Ottoman Empire, has the honor to acknowledge receipt 
and recognize the declaration that His Excellency, the Baron Marschall, 
the German Ambassador, had kindly submitted on 25 April 1901 
concerning the temporary leasing by the Imperial German Government 
under the four following conditions, of the facility built on Farasan 
Island by the Imperial Ottoman Government to serve as a coal depot:

-- The facility that the Ottoman Government is having built will be 
exclusively for the keeping and storage of coal that the German 
Government will deem necessary for temporary deposit against a 
suitable rent. The Ottoman authorities will take all necessary police 
measures to guarantee the security of this depot.

-- All expenses occasioned by the loading and unloading of coal will 
be entirely the responsibility of the German Government.

-- Given that the German Government has no intention other than that 
of secure possession of a coal depot on Farasan Island, it will entirely 
abstain from seeking profit from the Island’s sources of wealth.

-- In order to assure perfect exactitude in the receipt and delivery of 
coal that will be deposited in the determined locale, two German 
wardens will be assigned to these operations.  Outside of their 
determined duties, these wardens should abstain from interfering under 
any pretext whatsoever in any matter other than that which touches 
upon the receipt
and delivery of coal. 

By consequence, the agreement is established on the prescribes bases 
and will be maintained in its entirely.

british in red sea 1916 map ile ilgili görsel sonucu
  On this old map, the Farasan Islands are at the upper-left.

As a result of the mutual agreement of both sides, the decision was 
implemented.  At the present time (March, 1917), though, the island in 
question is occupied by the English fleet but must be evacuated and 
returned to the Ottoman State at the conclusion of the current war 
(World War I).

Subsequently, the Ottoman Government should put the 1901 decision 
with Germany back into force or renegotiate it on more favorable terms.

 Bab-ı âli 28 November 1917

((signed)) Ottoman Ambassador Fahreddin Rumbeyoğlu
                 Senior Ambassador to Rome Mehmed Nabi

Mehmed Nabi Bey, second from left, Fahreddin Rumbeyoğlu,
second from right, during the signing of the Uşi Agreement
with Italy in 1912.






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