GIVEN TO BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 22631, 24 April 1937, Page 28

GIVEN TO BRITAIN

BIG TURHiSH CONTRACTS Details were given to a ‘ Daily Mail ’ reporter, London, recently, of £21,750,000 contracts which, in the face' of fierce competition, have been given to British heavy engineering firms by Mustapha Kemal Ataturk, the Turkish Dictator. ; These contracts will complete his new Five Years Plan for the development of the country’s industries. After months of secret and delicate negotiations the contracts were signed by the Turkish Minister of National Kconomy, Jelal Bayar, and Sir Alexander Gibb, head of the engineering firm of Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners.

One of the clauses appoints Sir Alexander chief consulting engineer to the Turkish Government, the equivalent of “ heavy industrial dictator.”

The main works which will be undertaken by British firms were outlined as follows by' Mr Hugh Beaver, the partner who accompanied Sir Alexander Gibb to Istanbul and Ankara;

Steel works at Karabuk ... 3,000,000 Reconstruction of the port of Istanbul 1,500,000 Now port at Eregli 2,000,000 Harbour reconstructions at Trebizond 730,000 New single-track railway between Diabckir and the Turko-Persian frontier ... 5,000,000 New double-track coastal railway connecting Eregli with Filyos 4,500,000 Naval port at Gulchuk ... 2,500,000 Modernising of the port of Mcrsina 2,500,000

Mr Beaver continued; “ Forty per cent, of the minimum total earmarked for the works will come to Great Britain in payment for equipment. “ That is to say, our heavy industries, many of them situated in the distressed areas, will benefit to the tune of more than £8,000,000.”