'Summary of correspondence relative to the administration of the Port of Basrah and measures for the control of the shipping traffic in Mesopotamia.' [‎3v] (6/134)

Serial No. 5. Telegram No. H.-5045, dated Simla, the 14th June 1916,
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Marine Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , General Department.
(Repeated to the Embarkation Commandant, Karachi).
Your telegram 9th June. (Not included in collection.) Scarr's services
accepted on terms stated. Please instruct him to proceed Basrah as soon as
possible arranging with Embarkation Commandant, Karachi for passage.
Adressed Bombay General, repeated Embarkation, Karachi, with request
that arrangements may be made for Scarr's passage and name of vessel and date
of sailing communicated direct to General Officer Commanding, " D," and re
peated here.
Serial No. 6._ Telegram No. 717, dated (and received) the 3rd July 1916.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , General Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Marine Department.
Your telegram H-5692, dated 29th June. (Not included in collection.)
Scarr sailed for Basrah on 19th June.
Serial No. 7. Letter No. H-9859, dated the 17th December 1915.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Marine Department,
To— S ir G eorge C. B uchanan, K t ., C.I.E., M.I.C.E.,
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 14th De
cember 1915, (not included in collection) with which you submit a note on the
whole subject of the proposed dredging and other river conservancy work in Meso
potamia.
In reply, I am to say that it has been decided that you should proceed to
Basrah at the earliest opportunity in order that you may be in a position to give
immediate assistance to General Sir John Nixon, K.C.B., in all matters connected
with the port of Basrah, its administration, engineering works arid river conser
vancy.
Your designation will be " Director General of Port Administration and River
Conservancy," but the exact delimitation of your duties will be fixed by Sir John
Nixon in consultation with you ; the Government of India being informed of the
decision arrived at.
As regards the recommendations contained in paragraph 13 of the note
attached to your letter under reply, I am to ask that you will inform me in detail
of your exact requirements in plant, personnel and equipment.
Serial No. 8. Dated ^ A P r il 1916.
From— C olonel S ir G eorge B uchanan, K t ., C.I.E., M.I.C.E., Director-General
of Port Administration and River Conservancy, Indian Expeditionary
Force " D," Mesopotamia,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Marine Department, Simla.
I have the honour to invite a reference to letter No I142-12-Q., dated 3rd
April 1916, (not included in collection) from the General Officer Commanding,
I. E. F. "D," to the Chief of the General Staff, Army Headquarters, Simla, for-
waiding notes and a letter from myself with enclosures on the subject of delays
to River Conservancy work.
2. It will be observed from a perusal of the papers that some of mv complaints
imply a lack of method in Port Administration ; and I desire to explain that the
• delimitation of my duties by General Sir John Nixon was such that I have only