Abstract
The Mediterranean route gained importance for British interests during mid-18th century as Britain began to expand its presence in India and Persian Gulf. Britain in order to secure the route to India had made an alliance with the Ottoman State to gain strong position against France and to prevent Russian expansion southwards. For this reason Britain occupied Seylan in 1798, St Helen in 1810, Singapur in 1819, Aden 1839 and Hong Kong 1842 to secure Imperial route to India.
Later on, Britain to reinforce its strategic positions in Asia and Africa, and its imperial route to India it established its control over Cyprus Island in 1878 and occupied Egypt in 1881. Afterwards by controlling the Suez Canal in 1875 it guaranteed for the security of the route to India. Thereafter Britain began to focus on controlling the region of Gulf of Basra. Britain first dominated on the trade of Basra and controlled river transportation over Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. During the immediate post-Great War era in order to reinforce its strategic position in the Gulf of Basra, Britain tried to set up bases around the backyards of Gulf of Basra and Eastern Mediterranean. These regions were in the Southern Anatolia and thorough the bases Britain also planned to reinforce its strategic base in the Suez.
Within this frame, this article, based on archival documents, thus examine British political and military activities in the Ottoman State in general and in the city of Marash in particular.
