!['Mesopotamia' [‎55r] (109/152)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x000198/IOR_L_PS_20_C190_0109.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Mesopotamia' [‎55r] (109/152)")
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.
Mesopotamia]
TOWNS
99
Situation. K>tiinated Communications.
Population.
industries, See.
Saniuvra
(oontimietf)
Snkesh-Slie- On the Euph-
vnldi
Urfa
rates, 63 miles
by river above
Knrna
On the north,
ern edge of
the Harran
plain, nortli
by east of
Birijik
About 12,0(X),
mostly Arabs
About 40, (XK)
Kurds,Turks,
and Arme
nians
anrl Basra
:{. Telegraph ami
Post-office
1. R i v e r E u-
phrates
2. Land routes to
Basra
3. Telegraph and
Post-office
1. Many routes to
Syrian towns,
and to Mosul
and Diarbekr
2. Telegraph
are also
ported.
imports,
chester
sugar,
and
Man-
goods,
indigo,
coffee.
Manufacture of
woollen carpets.
Manufacture of
Abas cloaks,
boat-building,
metal-work.
A n important
point of transit
trade east and
west. Wheat
cultivated large
ly. No indus
tries.
{b) British. Interests
The interests of Great Britain and India in the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
and Mesopotamia originated with the
East India Company, which from the middle of the
17th century onwards possessed established commercial
interests there. In the latter part of the I8th century
the
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
of Baghdad was on more than one occasion
glad to have the help of the vessels of the East India
Company to protect him against the Arabs and others.
The rights of British vessels to navigate the Tigris
and Euphrates had, however, never been clearly defined,
and had been the subject of controversy between
London and Constantinople. In recent times there
have been persistent efforts on the part of the Turkish
Government to whittle down such rights as were
possessed by treaty, agreement, or custom by Great
Britain and her subjects. 1 These attempts were due
1 The history of the navigation controversy up to 1913 is dealt
with in detail above, p. 28.
[285—66] H 2
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'Mesopotamia' [55r] (109/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x00006e> [accessed 2 August 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x00006e
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x00006e">'Mesopotamia' [‎55r] (109/152)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x00006e"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x000198/IOR_L_PS_20_C190_0109.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x000198/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
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