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Mosul (Former vilayet of the Turkish)

former vilayet of the Turkish Empire, occupied oc bied by British-Arab forces, 1918, and subsequently incorporated in the new Arab kingdom of Irak (Mesopotamia). It is claimed by the Turkish Nationalist government as bewas made by the Turks to obtain it at ethnologically, the majority of its inhabito admit the claim, declaring it was now tants being Turks and Kurds. An effort a part of Irak and referring the question was made by the Turks to obtain it at the Near Eastern Conference at Lau- sanne, 1922-23; but Great Britain refused to admit the claim, declaring it was now a part of Irak and referring the question of boundaries to the League of Nations. sanne, 1922-23; but Great Britain refused of boundaries to the League of Nations.

The district contains oil fields of great wealth to which there are numerous con- flicting claims. American claims are mostly based on the so-called Chester concessions of 1908, obtained from the former Turkish Sultan, Abdul Hamid. Present British operations are based on pre-war concessions reconfirmed by the treaty of Sèvres, 1920. But this treaty was not recognized by the Turkish Nationalists, who have also refused to accept without revision any and all conthe unsettled status of the district of Tangier upon which a new international conference was demanded by Spain in 1922. (See TANGIER.) MUSCLE SHOALS cessions of this nature granted by former Turkish governments. An agreement between Great Britain and France made at San Remo, 1920, provided for division of the Mosul oil concessions between these countries and the new local government, but the United States refused to recognize their right to exclude American claims and interests, and at the conference of Lausanne above referred to, declared for the principle of complete equality of commercial opportunity throughout the Near East.