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'Report on the Development of Mesopotamia with Special Reference to the Regeneration of the River Systems' [‎9] (15/50)
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'Report on the Development of Mesopotamia with Special Reference to the Regeneration of the River Systems' [‎9] (15/50)

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'Report on the Development of Mesopotamia with Special Reference to the Regeneration of the River Systems'
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Ref: IOR/L/MIL/17/15/53

The record is made up of 1 volume (23 folios). It was created in 1917. 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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estimated the velocity of the Tigris at Baghdad at 7'33 feet per second, and dis
charge 164,103 cusecs ; and as he probably took the surface velocity, his figures
and mine agree fairly well.
Sir William Willcocks's greatest velocity registered at Baghdad on a rising
river, on the 25th April 1909, was 6*5 feet per second, surface velocity; and his
lowest velocity, in September 1909, was 1*01 feet per second,
Meanderings of river.
(19) The length of the river between various points, measured direct and
round bends, with the percentage of meandering, is shown below : —
From.
To.
Length
direct.
Length
round
bends.
Percentage
of
■meandering.
Miles.
Miles.
Baghdad
Kut ..
103
214
108
Kut
Amara
120
153
27
Amara ..
Kurnah
63
86
14
Kurnah ..
Basra
••
47
••
The percentage of meandering between Baghdad and Kut is enormous, and
its cause is open to conjecture until the matter has been properly investigated.
(20) A considerable amount of information respecting the river was obtained
by the Chesney expedition in 1837, and from the figures given below—even if
only approximately correct—it would appear that the length of the river has
considerably increased in the last eighty years.
From.
To.
Distance
by
Chesney.
Distance
by
Willcooks.
Miles.
Miles.
Baghdad
Kurnah
431
453
Baghdad
Kut
199
214
Kut
Kurnah .. «
232
233
(21) In describing his journey up the Tigris, Chesney wrote as follows
" The ascent of the Tigris commenced on the afternoon of September 15th
and passing the Tomb of Ezra, we brought up for the night at Janchu,
having ascended rather more than 38 miles of river during that
afternoon, with an average depth of from 2 to 6 fathoms, and a
width of 200 yards. The water was necessarily low at this season,
so that we were prepared for some difficulty in the ascent, ^hich, in
one or two places, caused us to lose time. Thus we accomplished
only 33 miles in 6f hours to the village of Bistoa. The next day,
the river still winding very much through wooded banks, we made
our way onwards with less difficulty, the depth varying, as before,
from ^ to 6 fathoms. One bend of the river is so eaxctly like another
that the pilots have to place stones, to enable them to distinguish
between the different reaches, to which they give separate named.
Cl01(w)AD

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Content

The volume is Sir George Buchanan KCIE: Report on the Development of Mesopotamia with Special Reference to the Regeneration of the River Systems (Simla: Government Monotype Press, 1917).

The report contains preliminary remarks, and sections on:

  • Mesopotamia as it was;
  • Mesopotamia as it is;
  • Reasons for the deterioration of the country since ancient times;
  • Description of the Tigris and Euphrates as they appear today;
  • Sir William Willcocks's Irrigation Projects;
  • Suggestions for river regeneration;
  • Agriculture in Mesopotamia;
  • Navigation on the Tigris and Euphrates;
  • Conclusions and recommendations.

The report is accompanied by seven illustrations consisting of photographs of the River Tigris at various points (folios 16-18); and five maps illustrating the courses, delta and country surrounding the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates, and proposed irrigation works (folios 20-24).

Extent and format
1 volume (23 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at 1 on the front cover and terminates at 25 on the pocket attached to the back cover. The numbers are written in pencil, are enclosed in a circle, and appear in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. page of each folio. Folios 20-24 (maps) are contained within the pocket (folio 25) and need to be folded out in order to be examined.

Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence, numbered 2-21 (folios 4-14).

Written in
English in Latin script
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Reference
IOR/L/MIL/17/15/53
Title
'Report on the Development of Mesopotamia with Special Reference to the Regeneration of the River Systems'
Pages
front, front-i, i-r:ii-v, 1:32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, back-i, back
Author
East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
Usage terms
Open Government Licence