Railway expansion was symbolic of modernization in the late 19th century, and Britain, Germany and France built railways at enormous speed and reaped great commercial benefits. In the Middle East, railways were no less important and the Ottoman Empire's Hejaz Railway was the first great industrial project of the 20th century. A route running from Damascus to Mecca, it was longer than the line from Berlin to Baghdad and was designed to function as the artery of the Arab world - linking Constantinople to Arabia. Built by German engineers, and instituted by Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the railway was financially crippling for the Ottoman state and the its eventual stoppage 250 miles short of Mecca (the railway ended in Medina) was symbolic of the Ottoman Empire's crumbling economic and diplomatic fortunes. This is the first book in English on the subject, and is essential reading for those interested in Industrial History, Ottoman Studies and the geopolitics of the Middle East before World War I.

INTRODUCTIONCHAPTER I: The Historical Development of Railway Construction in the Ottoman Empire Railway Construction in Rumelia and Anatolia 1) Internal and External Dynamics of Ottoman Railways and the British Lines 2) A Fruitless Effort: State Railways 3) The Anatolian and Baghdad RailwaysB. Imperialist Dilemmas and Syrian Railways 1) Origins of the French Influence in Syria and the French Railways 2) The Haifa-Damascus Railway and Other British Projects CHAPTER II: Decision to Construct the Hejaz RailwayDeclaration of the Imperial Firman Concerning the Hejaz Railway and Initial ReactionsThe Main Factors Behind the Decision to Construct the Hejaz Railway1) Economic Factors2) Abdülhamid's Islamist Policy 3) Religious/Political Factors4) Military/Political FactorsC.The Evolution of the Hejaz Railway ProjectCHAPTER III: Financing the Hejaz RailwayThe Donation Campaign1) External Donations a) Donations Collected in India b) Donations Raised in Egypt and Other Islamic Countries 2) Donations Collected in the Ottoman Empire a) People and Institutions that Contributed to the Donation Campaign b) The Organization of the Donation Campaign c) The Role of the Media in the Donation CampaignB.Other RevenuesC.Financial Sources EvaluatedCHAPTER IV: The Construction of the Hejaz RailwayThe Hejaz Railway AdministrationNegotiations with the DHP Company The Launch of the Construction and Recruitment of the Technical StaffProvision of Railway MaterialsHaifa-Dera Branch Line 1) The Construction of the Line2) The Economic Dimension of the Haifa Railway3) Rivalry against DHP Company and the Pro-Hejaz Railway Attitude of GermansF.Inauguration of New Lines (1904-1908)G.Extraordinary Problems1) Water2) Fuel3) Labor a) The Organization of the Railway Battalions b) Benefits Provided to the WorkersCHAPTER V: Forces Resisting the Hejaz RailwayBritish Obstruction of the Aqaba Line: The Tabah Crisis 1) Significance of the Aqaba Line2) Tabah CrisisB. Attempts to Sustain the Hejaz Railway Construction1) Significance of the Medina-Mecca and Mecca-Jeddah Lines2) Resistance of the Bedouin3) Resistance of the Amirs of MeccaC. French Obstruction of the Afula-Jerusalem Line D. Other Unrealized Lines and Some AdditionsCHAPTER VI :Were the Expectations Fulfilled?MAPS AND DOCUMENTSBIBLIOGRAPHYINDEX Administrative Dimension1) Hejaz Railway Staff 2) Analysis of the Operating RevenuesB.Religious/Political DimensionC.Military/Political Dimension1) Pre-war Period2) War Period3) Arab Rebellion and the Hejaz RailwayD.Economic DimensionsThe Main Factors Behind the Decision to Construct the Hejaz Railway1) Economic Factors2) Abdülhamid's Islamist Policy 3) Religious/Political Factors4) Military/Political FactorsB.The Evolution of the Hejaz Railway ProjectCHAPTER III: Financing the Hejaz RailwayThe Donation Campaign1) External Donationsa) Donations Collected in India b) Donations Raised in Egypt and Other Islamic Countries 2) Donations Collected in the Ottoman Empire a) People and Institutions that Contributed to the Donation Campaign b) The Organization of the Donation Campaign c) The Role of the Media in the Donation CampaignB.Other RevenuesC.Financial Sources EvaluatedCHAPTER IV: The Construction of the Hejaz RailwayThe Hejaz Railway AdministrationNegotiations with the DHP Company The Launch of the Construction and Recruitment of the Technical StaffProvision of Railway MaterialsHaifa-Dera Branch Line 1) The Construction of the Line2) The Economic Dimension of the Haifa Railway3) Rivalry against DHP Company and the Pro-Hejaz Railway Attitude of GermansF.Inauguration of New Lines (1904-1908)G.E