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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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
56 ECONOMIC CONDITIONS inc. es
reasons, and the river is in about as bad a con
dition as before. Between Nasrie and
feamawa the river Hows in a firm bed, the
lamiliar obstacles to navigation are absent, and
a minimum depth of 5 ft. of water can be
obtained at all times of the year. Between
Samawa and the Hindie barrage all the diffi
culties of navigation found in the lower
stretches of the river recur in an aggravated
form. The Hindie branch of the river (the
only one upon which navigation can be carried
on all the year round) is surrounded by "khors,"
or marshes, which are sometimes above and
sometimes below water level, and water is drawn
oil by numerous canals. In consequence, the
river between Samawa and the barrage can, at
certain seasons of the year, be navigated only by
vessels drawing less than 2 ft. of water. There
are two locks at the Hindie barrage, which are
designed to take vessels of about 5 ft. draught
at the period of lowest water.
(ii) Hindie Barrage to Hit. —This section is navig
able by steamers drawing not more than 4 to
5 ft. at all seasons of the year, though, until
the wash of steamer traffic has helped to clear
the channel, navigation at some points might be
difficult, i he river flows between high banks,
and its width varies from 150 to 500 yards.
1 he current, which at low water is about \\
miles per hour, increases to 5 miles per hour in
flood.
(iiij Hit to Meskene. —Above Hit the bed of the
ri\er ceases to be alluvial, and there are rapids
at various places, especially between Hit and
Ana, which renders navigation extremely diffi
cult and dangerous, except when the river is in
flood. Banks of shingle and sand are also
found. From April to July, when the river is
full, its descent would be easy for light-draught
steamers, and could be accomplished at a great
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' [33v] (66/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000043> [accessed 24 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