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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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Mesopotamia] R1VEKS AND CANALS
57
speed, but the journey up-stream would be very
slow, and between Hit and Ana would prcba
bly be impossible for any steamer whose speed
was less than 12 knots an hour. At present
practically all traffic on this section is down
stream, and is carried on by shakhturs, Hat-
bottomed boats built at Birijik, w T hich when
loaded do not draw more than ft. of water.
These craft carry a load of about 5 tons, are
steered by clumsy sweeps in the bows, and are
floated down-stream loaded and towed up-stream
empty.
Of the canals which take off from the Tigris and
Euphrates many are navigable by small native craft
at certain seasons of the year, but only the Shatt el-Hai,
which leaves the right bank of the ligris at Kut, and
the Saklawie, which runs from-the Euphrates, about
10 miles above Feluja, to the Tigris at Baghdad, are
navigable for large craft. In flood-time both these
are navigable by hellains, and it is stated that the
Saklawie has been navigated by steamers as recently
as 1916.
With the future of navigation in Mesopotamia are
involved twoi questions—first, the requirements oi
water for irrigation, and secondly, the competition be
tween river navigation and railways. The former
would affect navigation from Tekrit and Ramadlie
downwards, the latter might threaten its very exist
ence as a commercial proposition.
Down to the summer of 1914 the only expert report
bearing on these problems was that made by Sir W.
Willcocks to the Turkish Government upon the possi
bilities of reviving the irrigation of Mesopotamia.
Sir W. Willcocks' conclusions are summed up in the
words ".rivers for irrigation, railways for com
munications," and his report proposed seven large
schemes for the irrigation of the Delta between the
line Feluja—Tekrit and Fao, and for the prevention
of floods, and one small scheme for the improvement
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' [34r] (67/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000044> [accessed 25 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