Registry No.EA 1393/1 OUTFILE FOREIGN OFFICE S.W.1., Top Secret. Secret. 2 January, 1950. H. A. D. Confidential. +4C Restricted. Open. we. Draft. LETTER With reference to Bagdad telegram No. 41 of the 26th January about the financial M. Miss Ashe, TREASURY. standing of the Basrą Port Directorate (copy of , which was sent to you under our reference E 1391/6, I think that the following extract from a letter from the Chancery at Bagdad may help to clarify the picture - FROM: Mr. Dudgeon NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN. # The fact that the central Iraqi Treasury is empty is irrelevant to the financial position of the Port. The Port account and the Bar Dredging account are kept quite seaprately and, in contrast to the central Treasury account, are in a very sound position. The surplus on the Port account for the year ending March 1949 was ID. 162,203, and on the Bar Dredging account ID. 375,246; and reserves in each of the two accounts amount to approximately ID. 1,300,000. It is with the help of the reserves in the Bar Dredging account plus future earnings from dredging dues that it is hoped to finance the dredging of the new channel." I am sending copies of this letter to Dodds at the Admiralty, General Money at the Ministry of Transport, Mitchell at the Copy to - Ministry of Fuel and Power and Couldrey at the Mr. Dodds ADMIRALTY. Board of Trade. General Money, MINISTRY/FRANSPORT Had 31 Jan Mr. Mitchell, MINISTRY/FUEL & POWER. Gp.685 Mr. Couldrey, BOARDSRADE. RECEIVED IN DIVIS 6/48 4.34382/152 50,000 19/47 A. & E.W.Ltd. 150,000 - 1 FEB 1950 BENT TO TYPE 17 (91978) (85708)
