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'Summary of correspondence relative to the administration of the Port of Basrah and measures for the control of the shipping traffic in Mesopotamia.' [‎34v] (68/134)

The record is made up of 1 volume (66 folios). It was created in 16 Sep 1916. 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. .

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64
8. I shall require a considerable amount of labour, say about 800 men dis
tributed over the various works to fill the sand bags and deposit them between
the rows of piles. I understand that ttiere will be no difficulty in procuring this
locally.
Copy to :—
The D. A. & Q. M. G.
The C. G. S.
Enclosure No. 4.
Telegram dated the 8th April 1916,
From— S ir P ercy Cox, Basrah,
To—Bombay Political, Bombay,
P. Demi-official. Will you kiadly decypher the following and hand a tran
scription of it to Sir G. Buchanan, who will stop at the Hotel Majestic on his arriv
al from Basrah about the 12th instarit ?
Begins. With reference to your memorandum No. 173-A.-16 received on
the 5th March, explaining the projects for damming certain canals, it may be
convenient to you to know that, after examining them in consultation with the
Revenue Commissioner, I see good reason for apprehending that apart from loss of
revenue their execution will involve the loss of rice crops over a vast area for
which we may have to pay compensation and the projects are likely to arouse
such active resentment on the part of the tribes concerned as really to make the
remedy worse than the disease. I have advised that before it is decided to proceed
with them the projects should be subjected to further expert examination.
Enclosure No. 5.
Dated the 13th April 191().
From— M r . A h W ee , Contractor, Bombay^
To—C olonel S ir G eorge B uchanan,
With reference to your enquiry I beg to submit that the Rate list of men
will employ for your work at Basrah, The wages will be pay every month, and
I will draw all the wages from the office for payment, and you have to supply
all the expenses for boarding and lodging and passage fare for going and com
ing back for all over men.
Further I beg to say that I want one month wages in advance before start
ing from Bombay to pay the men; if anybody will run away I am responsible for
the same.
Rate List of men will employ on work for Basrah.
Rs,
Per month.
Contractor .. ,, ,. ,, ., ,, 800
3 Foremen ,. .. .. .. . r , 150 each.
4 Drivers .. ., ., .. ., .. 120
1 Chinese Head Driver and Fitter ,, ,. .. 200
5 Firemen .. .. ., ,, .. 45 each
60 Chinese Carpenters ,. .. ,. ., .. 120 „
4 Sarangs .. ., ,. .. . r .. 80 „
4 Mucadams .. .. ., ., ., .. 80 „
40 Khalasis Used by the British officials to refer to a non-European labourer, especially one employed on a ship. and Bamboo coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. ., ,. .. .. 60 „
40 Coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. .. .. ., ,. .. .. 45
Clerk .. ., .. ,, .. ..120

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Content

This secret summary was compiled by the Army Department, War Section Case and printed in Simla in September 1919. It contains letters and telegrams sent from 11 December 1915 to 14 August 1916 between the officers of the Government of India and the Director-General of Port Administration and River Conservancy on the administration of the Port of Basrah [Basra].

The summary also contains 'Report of Major-General G F MacMunn's Committee on the Organization of the River Service in Mesopotamia' (folios 58-66), with recommendations for the Royal India Marine Services, on the method of employing existing and forthcoming vessels, and measures for the control of the shipping traffic on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Extent and format
1 volume (66 folios)
Physical characteristics

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. The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

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English in Latin script
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'Summary of correspondence relative to the administration of the Port of Basrah and measures for the control of the shipping traffic in Mesopotamia.' [‎34v] (68/134), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/131, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023544987.0x000045> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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