‘Report for the Army Council on Mesopotamia. By Sir John P Hewett, GCSI, KBE’ [‎28v] (61/119)

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Two large slipways capable of accommodating vessels up to 700 tons dead weight and one smaller
slip for vessels up to 200 tons dead weight were built on the river side of the island. Four motor-boat
slips, of which two have a capacity of 40 tons, and two of 20 tons dead weight, were constructed on the
basin side. The hauling for the slipways is effected by means of a specially designed steam-driven haul
ing gear installed at the upper end of the slips. The slips can haul up seven steamers at a time for repairs,
four of 225 feet in length, and three of 100 feet. The four motor-boat slipways can accommodate at the
same time eight motor-boats averaging 45 feet in length. These arrangements are very efficient, and
furnish a vivid contrast to the practice in vogue in the earlier days of the force, when it was necessary
to beach a steamer in the mud, and to excavate a hole under it in order to carry out repairs.
Substantial timber wharves have been built on the river front, and part of the way up the wide arm
of the basin. The machine and other shops lie in the north-west corner of the island. Quarters for
officers and men are distributed over the island, and on the other side of the basin. A main road crosses
the dockyard from north to south, passing over the narrow arm of the basin by a timber bridge. The
entire repair work of the inland fleet is very efficiently performed in this dockyard, and a large quantity
of work is also executed for ocean-going steamers. The number of men at present employed is about
4,000.
Magil Re-erection Yard.
68. The difficulties first encountered owing to the failure to anticipate the requirements for the erec
tion of steamers and barges sent out from England were very great. The Magil re-erection yard was
constructed to overcome them. Its function was to provide for the re-erection of vessels built in England,
and dismantled in order to be transported. The site was chosen by Brigadier-General Grey’s Commission'
Its situation away from the more congested area of frontage near the dockyard affords ample space for
the erection of vessels. There is deep water near the bank. It is at the same time protected by an island
which assures still water in front of the yard. The total frontage extends over a length of 1,000 yards,
with a depth of 300 yards. The surface of the ground was originally only 1 foot 6 inches above flood
level, and had to be raised to 2 feet 6 inches, involving about 100,000 cubic yards of earthwork. The yard
was begun in September, 1916. It was laid out with eight building berths each accommodating two
steamers or barges, thus allowing sixteen craft to be under construction at one and the same time.
The launch of the first vessel took place in November, 1916. Between that, date and the 28th
February, 1919, 213 river craft and pontoons, with a total tonnage measurement of 26,626 tons, have
been put together in the yard, and in addition numerous vessels have been repaired and overhauled. The
.yard is provided with a wharf 294 feet long, and contains the general stores for the Inland Water Trans
port Department. Work incidental to the winding up of the campaign is in progress ; when finished,
the yard will be dismantled. It has served in the fullest degree the purpose for which it was designed.
There is also a barge repair depot and a yard for dealing with native timber craft, which lie together
on the river bank, being separated by a store and electric generating station common to both. The native
timber boat of very light draught known as a bellum has been found to be a very suitable type for con-
\ ersion to motor-power with petrol motors. It is in this yard that the conversion is carried out. A
number of native craft of a larger type have been purchased during the last four years for special military
operations, and also for bridge work to take the place of pontoons. The value of these varies from
Us. 500 (£33) to Rs. 12,000 (£800) each.
Several of the more expensive kinds were also specially built for the fleet. It should be possible
to dispose of all these craft at favourable rates to Arab purchasers.
Fleet.
r i shows the numbers and types of vessels composing the fleet controlled by the
* 1 Tra ^ s P ort - There are in commission 331 steamers (transports), 786 barges, 46 misceflaneous
cratt, 416 motor-boats and bellums, and 31 hospital ships ; 865 of these came from India, of which 204
design 11 ^ ^ m Mesopotamia - PracticaP y all the 571 ships which came from England were of special
, f oPow ing figures, prepared under the orders of the Director of Inland Water Transport
exhibit the estimated cost of the dockyard, re-erection yard, and the fleet respectively :—
Dockyard ..
Rs. £
52,34,201 (348,946)
Re-erection Yard ..
Fleet—
Transport steamers
Barges ..
Miscellaneous craft
Motor boats and motor craft
Hospital vessels
Total Fleet
32,34,255 (215,617)
Rs. £
.. 6,09,18,870 (4,061,258)
.. 4,52,02,590 (3,013,506)
81,42,390 (542,826)
44,74,290 (298,286)
.. 1,93,12,170 (1,287,478)
Rs. 13,80,50,310 (£9,203,354)
The valuation of the dockyard ana re-erection yard has been made at war rates, no charge having
been included for overhead charges or freightage. The valuation of the fleet is based on the actual cost