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The record is made up of 1 volume (76 folios). It was created in Feb 1919. It was written in English. 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
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42
PRESENT ( ONDTTIONS
1 No. 92
1914 arranged with His Majesty's Government that all
irrigation works in Mesopotamia, other than those
already tendered for, should be put up to open tender.
It is held by some competent authorities that the per
sistent destruction of forests in the highlands of
Armenia by goats, which eat the bark of trees, has
materially affected the rainfall of the region in which
the Tigris and Euphrates have their sources. On this
assumption, the volume of water in the Mesopotamia^
rivers would depend to some extent upon the afforesta
tion of Armenia.
All schemes, however, for the agricultural develop
ment of Mesopotamia, are conditional on, and limited
by, the quality and extent of the labour available, not
only for the construction of irrigation works and for
the excavation of canal systems, but for the upkeep of
such works and for the increased demands of culti
vation.
(b) Lahovr ]
•
The question of the introduction of the additional
labour which is vital to the development of the
country presents a serious difficulty. Considerable
political and religious difficulties would attend the
deliberate introduction of a fresh population from
India or elsewhere; and such action would probably
create resentment and unrest among the Arabs. It is
unlikely that any influx of colonists would be welcome
in Mesopotamia unless the newcomers were either
Arabs, Asiatic or African, or belonged to races which
easily absorb Arab civilisation 2 and would thus adapt
themselves to the existing social conditions. Numbers
of Lurs have already settled round Baghdad without
opposition on the part of the Arab tribes; and im
proved conditions in Mesopotamia would doubtless lead
Hie economic aspect of this question is dealt with below
p. 71.
r e.g., the inhabitants of the Sudan or Persia.
About this item
- Content
This volume is a confidential handbook on Mesopotamia prepared under the direction of the Historical Section of the Foreign Office, dated February 1919. There is a table of contents which includes the following chapters:
- I: 'Geography Physical and Political', including 'Position and Frontiers', 'Surface, Coast and River Systems', 'Climate', 'Sanitary Conditions', 'Race and Language' and 'Population';
- II: 'Political History', including 'Chronological Summary', 'Introduction', 'Early period of Turkish Occupation, 1638-1834', 'Later period of Turkish Occupation, 1834-1914', and 'Commercial Developments';
- III: 'Social and Political Conditions', including 'Religious', 'Political', 'Public Education' and 'General Observations';
- IV: 'Economic Conditions', including 'Means of Communication', 'Industry', 'Commerce', 'Finance' and 'General Remarks'.
There is also an appendix which includes tables of 'Exports to Principal Countries from Baghdad', 'Imports from Principal Countries to Baghdad', 'Principal Exports from Basra' and 'Principal Imports to Basra'. This is followed by a section entitled 'Authorities' which is a bibliography of references used for the preparation of the volume. This section is divided into 'Historical' (including 'Confidential Sources'), 'Economic' ('Official' and 'General') and 'Maps'. There is a pocket at the back of the volume to house maps, but there are no maps present.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (76 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Pagination: The volume contains an original printed pagination sequence.
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; 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'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Mesopotamia' [26v] (52/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000035> [accessed 22 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/C190
- Title
- 'Mesopotamia'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:75v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence