!['Mesopotamia' [‎59v] (118/152)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x000198/IOR_L_PS_20_C190_0118.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Mesopotamia' [‎59v] (118/152)")
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.
108
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
hands. Baghdad might be made an almost exclusively
British market if the trading were all-round trading
instead of being based, as formerly, on Manchester
goods alone. Travellers should be sent out to report on
local requirements, and catalogues printed in Arabic
should be circulated. The experience gained by selling
small quantities of cheap goods in this market would
be very valuable as enabling firms to obtain extensive
knowledge of the methods, currency, demands, &c., of
the market, and to get in touch with the small traders,
[fraudulent imitation might be prevented by some sys
tem of standard trade-mark. Advertisements should
be printed in Arabic, in bright colours, with sketches
oi Eastern subjects in illustration of articles on sale.
Every business communication should be in a language
suitable to the country dealt with. Attention should be
paid to the Constantinople market. The native buyer
from provincial towns visits Constantinople annually
to buy his year's stock, and is apt to deal with large
wholesale establishments maintained by Germans,
because he does not know his way about while in the
capital, and finds it easier to buy all his supplies under
one roof. Facilities should be given to buyers to see
samples before they place their orders. Finally, British
transport communications with the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
should
be maintained in an effective and satisfactory condition.
High rates lor ocean and river freight have handi
capped British trade in the past.
(2) Foreign
The external trade of Mesopotamia through the port
of Basra for the period 1904-1913, as shown by the
figures given in the Consular Reports, was as follows:—
Year.
Exports.
Imports.
Excess
Exports.
Excess
Imports.
£
£
£
£
1904
1,305,781
1.260,709
45,072
1905
1,504,795
1,387,589
117,206
1906
1,644,220
1,511,545
132,675
—
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' [59v] (118/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000077> [accessed 25 August 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000077
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_100023514036.0x000077">'Mesopotamia' [‎59v] (118/152)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000077"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000884.0x000198/IOR_L_PS_20_C190_0118.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