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'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918' [276] (285/568)
The record is made up of 1 volume (282 folios). It was created in 1918. It was written in English, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish and Syriac. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
276
COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
On the Great Zab :
At Eski Kelek on the Erbil—Mosul road (trestle-bridge capable of
taking field-artillery, recently built).
On the Lesser Zab :
At Altun Kopru (a narrow bridge steeply arched, not passable
for wheels).
On the Batman Su :
Batman Kopru, west of Farqin on the Diarbekr—Bitlis road (stone).
Stone or brick bridges are occasionally found on the smaller
streams in and near the hills ; many of these are in a more or less
ruinous condition. In the mountains plank bridges for foot-
passengers or pack-animals occur ; these are liable to be swept away
in flood-time.
There are ferries (large pontoons, quffehs, or Icelelcs) at some ot the
principal river-crossings.
The larger rivers are fordable in places during the low-water
season (late summer and early autumn). The smaller stream-beds
contain little if any water in the summer and autumn, but after rain
or the melting of snow in the hills may become impassable for
some time.
Road Tra
(a) Mechanical transport:
Before the war motor-cars had occasionally traversed some of the
main routes in the plains of upper Mesopotamia and northern Irak.
During the present war motor-lorries have been employed on the
lines of communication of the British and Turkish forces.
The following notes on the use of mechanical transport in Irak are
taken from Field Notes on Mesopotamia, February 1917:
The most important types of vehicles in use are the Peerless, Fiat,
and Napier motor-lorries.
Climatic conditions are not favourable to mechanical transport,
(i) The enormous variations in the temperature, and therefore in the
density of the air, make the adjustment of the carburettor with the
fixed mixture preparation almost impossible, (ii) The cooling effect
of the radiator is materially reduced owing to the great heat pre
vailing in Irak during the summer months. The engine has there
fore to work at an unusually high temperature, and this unfortunate
circumstance is aggravated by the difficulty of obtaining suitable
heavy oil. .
Difficulties are also caused by the alluvial soil of the plains and
the lack of made roads. Anything heavier than a 30-cwt. lorry will
About this item
- Content
This volume is A Handbook of Mesopotamia, Volume I, General (Naval Staff, Intelligence Department: November 1918). This is an updated and expanded edition of A Handbook of Mesopotamia, Volume I, General (Admiralty War Staff, Intelligence Department: August 1916) (IOR/L/MIL17/15/41/1). This is an introductory volume containing matter of a general nature giving an account of conditions in Mesopotamia, for the most part as they were before the First World War.
The volume includes a note on official use, a title page and 'Note'. There is a page of 'Contents' that includes the following chapters and sections:
- Chapter 1: Boundaries and Physical Features;
- Chapter 2: Climate;
- Chapter 3: Minerals;
- Chapter 4: Fauna and Flora;
- Chapter 5: Hygiene;
- Chapter 6: History;
- Chapter 7: Inhabitants;
- Chapter 8: Religions;
- Chapter 9: Administration;
- Chapter 10: Irrigation of Irak [Iraq];
- Chapter 11: Agriculture and Land Tenure;
- Chapter 12: Commerce and Industry;
- Chapter 13: Currency, Weights, and Measures;
- Chapter 14: Communications and Transport;
- Vocabularies;
- Index.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (282 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged in numbered chapters. There is a contents page and an alphabetically arranged index.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the first folio and terminates at the last folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of the folio.
Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish and Syriac in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/41/2
- Title
- 'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1:556, ii-r:ii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence