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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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m ECONOMIC CONDITIONS inc. 92
, ✓
It was supplied by Germany and Austria-Hungary,
with a little from the United Kingdom, and German
imports were increasing steadily up to 1914.
Tea. —The value of the tea import steadily rose from
1904 to 1908, since which date it has remained almost
stationary. India has always been the principal sup
plier; Russia formerly sent some, but has ceased to do
so; China has recently done a considerable trade. In
1913 India sent 82| per cent., China 17 per cent., and
the remaining J per cent, came from Japan. The total
value in 1913 was £48,986. Consumption has been
steadily increasing of late years among the Arabs.
Tobacco is nearly all imported from Persia, though
a very little comes from Constantinople. In 1907 the
import showed a notable increase, which was not main
tained in the three following years. The value of the
tobacco imported in 1912 was £27,600, but in 1913 this
fell to £8,970, probably on account of the insecurity of
traffic and the general trade depression.
(D) FINANCE
(1) Public Finance
This subject is discussed in Handbook No. 89,
A natolia.
(2) Currency
Turkish currency is discussed in detail in No. 46,
Turkey in Europe, but the subject requires some
notice here owing to the complication which, under
the Turkish regime, was caused by the large use of
Persian and, to a less extent, of Indian coinage at
Basra and even at Baghdad.
Before the war the coinage both at Baghdad and
Basra was based upon the Turkish lira : one Turkish
lira=100 gold piastres = 4,000 paras. The medjidieh
(the 20-piastre piece) was reckoned officially as worth
19 gold piastres, and was chiefly used in payment of
customs duties and other taxes. The par exchange to
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' [66v] (132/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000085> [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