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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 ]
BANKING' 125
i)resented in Mesopotamia, viz., the imperial OtLomaii
Bank, with branches at Basra, Baghdad, and Mosul,
the Eastern Bank, with branches at Basra, Amara, and
Baghdad; and the Imperial Bank of Persia, also with
branches or agents at Basra, Amara, and Baghdad.
The development of Mesopotamia after the war should
create opportunities for a wide employment 01 capital
in banking business of the trading kind. Agriculture
in particular is in especial need of financial support.
It has hitherto been an established practice for the cu
tivator to borrow money on the security of his crop be
fore it has matured, giving a Kompiala, bearing a high
rate of interest, as security. There is probably a good
opening for the introduction of some system ot agricul
tural banks on recognised lines, and this question
should engage the early attention ot those concernec
with the government of the country.
(E) GENERAL REMARKS
The future economic possibilities of Mesopotamia
have formed the subject of the following reports made
to the Governments of either Great Britain or India
in recent years:—
(a) Report upon the Conditions and Prospects ot
British Trade in Mesopotamia, by Sir George
Lloyd, published in 1908.
(h) Report on the Development of Mesopotamia
with special reference to the Regeneration o
the River Systems, by Sir George^ Buchanan,
K.C.I.E., M.I.C.E., published in 1917.
(r) The Prospects of British Trade in Mesopotamia
and the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
, by R. E. Holland and
J. H. Wilson, published in 1917.
(rf) Report on the Future Development ot the 1 ort
of Basra and its communications by Land and
Water, by Sir George Buchanan, K.O.L.E.,
M.I.C.E., published in 1917.
These reports have dealt at considerable length with
various aspects of the problems involved, and sum-
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' [68r] (135/152), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/C190, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023514036.0x000088> [accessed 6 August 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