‘Report for the Army Council on Mesopotamia. By Sir John P Hewett, GCSI, KBE’ [‎18r] (40/119)

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Id the ad interim report the ouestion of the supply of pumps was thus dealt with :—
“ The Administrator of Agriculture indented for 30 semi-Diesel oil engines and pumps to
which no reply has been received ; but it is improbable that such machinery can be supplied
seeing that India has telegraphed recently that pumps are not available. But Mr. Ward
believes that pumps and engines suitable for lift irrigation in Mesopotamia can be collected
in India and fitted to form pumping sets, some in time to be erected in this country by July,
and others by the 1st October next. It will suffice perhaps if the Munitions Board utilise their
agencies in seaport towns, to purchase and make up into sets those machines which are new
and on sale ; whilst the chief Engineers and Directors of Agriculture in the different provinces
might be utilized to obtain second-hand plant. But it should be made clear that the parts
should be assembled at convenient centres, and put into thorough working order, as well as
made up into sets, to work on a lift of 35 feet, complete with foot-valves, piping, joints, spare
bolts, and tools with which to erect and keep them in repair. Centrifugal pumps from 6-inch
diameter and upwards are in use in this country in very large numbers, and if more were avail
able would be purchased eagerly by the Arabs, and would do much to relieve the situation.
The civil authorities are confident that they could so dispose of 200 sets and probably more.
It was decided at the conference this morning to despatch a telegram to the above effect to
India. Since then Major Pitkeathly has furnished kindly a detailed specification that is attached.
India might be informed by telegraph that this wall follow" by post.
“ Mr. Henderson is sure that similar work can be done in Egypt, but an officer, wdio has
experience of what is required in this country, would need to be accredited to the Egyptian
Government to select what will be serviceable.”
sic * *
“ Our attention has been drawn both at Basrah and Baghdad and at places en route to
the great use that is made of pumps in irrigation ; it is believed that an average pump will
irrigate 150 acres of winter and 50 of hot weather crops ; that the former will yield 112 tons
of grain worth £1,120, and the latter 150 tons of vegetables worth £1,500, so that a pumping
set that costs £750 should produce crops worth £2,620. It is proposed to sell such pumps to the
Arabs, but should Government retain a set and employ two men to wmrk it, the working expenses
are estimated at £1,000 per annum, leaving a clear profit of £870, in addition to paying off the
full cost of the plant.”
In the telegram of the 22nd April. 1918, from the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, the cost
of a pump is taken at Rs. 12,000 (£800), and 200 sets w 7 ere provided for. This is an increase of £50 on the
figure, just mentioned. As that figure w T as based on the cost of a 6-inch pump, the minimum size required,
while the specification bespoke pumps of larger capacity, an all-round rate of Rs. 12,000 (£800) appears
somewhat low. But doubtless it was anticipated that the average cost would be reduced by a propor
tion of the pumps on which there w r ould not be any enhancement of cost due to war prices. In pursuance
of the intention to send an officer to the Munitions Board in India to obtain pumps, Lieut. Campbell
Rogers was selected and left for India early in May. The acting Civil Commissioner informed me that
Lieut. Campbell Rogers went after receiving verbal instructions from him, wdiich were supplemented by
those contained in the Memorandum from the Revenue Board No. 8029, dated the 28th April, 1918,
and the letter No. E.S/547, dated the 7th May, 1918, from the Deputy Director of Works (Electrical and
Mechanical). [Appendix XVII and Appendix XVIII.] The 12 pumps referred to in paragraph 3 of the
latter letter had been already obtained by the Munitions Board, India, as appears from a telegram of
the 24th April. [Wo. 32155, dated the 2ith April, 1918, Erom C.G.S., Simla to G.O.C. in Chief, Baghdad,
Appendix XlXi] The instructions given to Lieut. Campbell Rogers gave no directions 'as to cost, but
the whole matter had been discussed with him, and he knew the purpose for which the pumps w r ere re
quired, and must have been aware of the necessity for their being received and erected at latest by the
end of December, 1918, and of the price which the Arabs were likely to pay for pumps. This is confirmed
in paragraph 16 of Mr. Ward’s report of the 11th May, where he writes :—“ Lieut. Campbell Rogers,
Assistant Political Officer, w r ill represent the Administrator, Agricultural Development Scheme, in respect
to the purchase and despatch of pumping sets from India to Mesopotamia, wfill be responsible to him that
none are sent that are not saleable ; whilst he will render satisfaction to the Deputy Director of Works
that the sets are of a type in accordance with the technical instructions given to him. Lieut. Campbell
Rogers was thus responsible to the authorities in Mesopotamia for the suitability of the pumps procured by
him both as regards price and type. Had matters rested here the authorities wdio instructed him could
have been held responsible if the pumps supplied were unsuitable as regards cost or quality. Under the
orders, however, of the Commander-in-Chief in India, of the 27th May, 1918 (paragraph 32), the Board of
Agriculture were instructed to address all demands for agricultural implements, &c., to the Secretary
Central Transport and Foodstuffs Board. That Board resolved to entrust the purchase of the pumping
sets to Mr. Henderson, working as a Controller under the Munitions Board in India. Mr. Henderson
obtained the Board’s approval to the employment of some of the agricultural engineers in India, and others
selected by him to assist him in the purchase of pumps, as being more suitable for this duty than Lieut.
Campbell Rogers. The latter, was, however, instructed to continue to work under Mr. Henderson s
orders “ either at port of shipment or elsewhere,” till he left for Mesopotamia, which he did about the
beginning of August, reporting at Baghdad on the 25th August.
41. Responsibility for the purchase of pumps thus rested with the Central Transport and Foodstufis
Board and Mr. Henderson. The latter had been to Mesopotamia, and was aware of the conditions for
which the pumps were required. He had signed the report in which Mr. Ward had calculated that some
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