T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 425

To Hogarth 3rd. letter to you in 3 weeks: apologies Dec.27, (1912) Aleppo. Am just back from Biredjik; we found that Henderson had bought 40 donums of the Kala'at, indefined, out of 160 of "Hauan Agha's". Salem does not possess an inch. We tried to get a new tapu, but failed, since last year after we refused to repay Hassan his five pounds that (in the shape of a wife) he had lent in the river, he went to Biredjik and complained of the diggings as spoiling his land. His petition was sent to Constantinople which acked of the kaimakam i. "Is the land cultivable?" ii Was it valuable for military purposes. The Kaim. said "no" in both cases. He has had no reply to Hassan Agha's petition, but trier. As a consequence though, he must still consider the matter subiudice, and refused a new tapu. So far as I could gather he would also refuse a transfer to a third party, but this not so certainty. I told him that we would hold ourselves at liberty to exercise our right of fore-emption over anyone buying the Kala'at, and he made a note of it. Our position as owners (vice Henderson) of an in- definable fourth, gives us the right to annul any sale to a third party by paying the price he paid, and taking over the pro- perty. This can be done within two years of the sale. The Kaim- akam said our title to the 40 donums was incontestable: he always thought that Constantinople was delaying their answer in our in- terest. (Not this) I stated his shewing the whole. We said his official posi- tion was to assure us that the "Tovernment would do everything for us. His private opinion was that we had much better buy, if we could at a reasonable price. He had his doubts about the wisdom of house-building on "Hassan's land"; and he thought Hassan and Salim were working together. I mentioned the £5 last year you gave to Hassan when Mazioun produced a wire from the Mutessarif of Urfa: this, you will remember, gave us right to dig for- ever. He said it was a "waste, and that the Mutessarif never wired at all; and that he didn't think the courts would uphold the agreement. The upshot of all that, is that the title-deeds of the Kala'at are all in order." I asked Mr.Pontana what next, and he suggested your asking Sir Zwin Feast, or whoever it is, in Con- stantinople, to acquit of the Government what they were about. Then they admit Henderson's tapu, i.e. view his wire as "isnot that would be (insolubly) about the time of house-building early in February. Then Henderson's £ would be at least available for building one. If Kenyon can be in any way persuaded, this his lot ... me power to purchase the remaining 120 donums (a donum is about 40m.x40m.) for not more than £50. I hope to ... them at ... railway return of £25 in stores a donum: that would be about £17 English: This would clear up everything, reasonably cheaply. Otherwise we may have worry. In any case the site will never be valueless.