!['Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎106v] (212/248)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000912.0x0000b2/IOR_L_PS_20_257_0214.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎106v] (212/248)")
'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [106v] (212/248)
The record is made up of 1 volume (122 folios). It was created in 1906-1918. 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. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
10
1 our Excellency’s suggested Draft Rule 3 (a) should therefore, in my
opinion, be omitted, and the reference to it in Draft Rule 3 should be struck out.
These suggested alterations will necessitate the striking out of paragraph (IV.)
.of Draft Rule 6 (a) as unnecessary. I also suggest that after the words
“Advisory ^Council ” in Draft Rule 6 (a) the words “and of the Mobilisation
Committee should be added, and paragraph (II.) of that rule should be
omitted. In Draft Rule 11 (2) (b) after the words “ Secretary of State” the
words “ in Council ” should be added.
It further appears to me that the Secretary to the Government of India
in the Military Supply Department should be a member of the Mobilisa
tion Committee ; that the Member in charge of the Military Supply
Department should be a Member of the Defence Committee; and that
the Governor-General should have power to appoint for the time being
to the Mobilisation Committee, the Defence Committee, and the Advisory
Council, or to any or either of them, such person as he may consider advisable.
I assume that any Member of the Mobilisation Committee may note upon any
case before that Committee, and such note, when made, will form part of the
case for submission to the Governor-General in Council.
10. The object of these amendments is to make sure that all matters,
before they reach the Commander-in-Chief, as Member in charge of the Army
Department, shall have passed through the hands of the Secretary.
I venture to hope that after considering the case as I have now put it,
\ our Excellency will regard this as a vital element in any scheme which is to
be at once workable and constitutional.
In your other amendments I have only to express my concurrence.
11. M ith entire freedom from personal prepossession, anxious to avoid
exaggerations, and strongly desiring to find myself in substantial accord with
the Government of India, I have done my best to decide in Council the questions
arising under the Draft Rules wholly upon their merits. I trust that the
opinions expressed in this Despatch will tend to compose a controversy too
long outstanding ; and will safeguard the fundamental principle that the
Government of India, in all its branches, aspects, .and divisions, subject to the
statutory powers of the Secretary of State, has been solemnly and deliberately
confided by Parliament to the Governor-General in Council.
^12. Lord Lansdowne, in his speech in the House of Lords on 1st August,
1905, said of the plan devised by my predecessor for reorganising military
administration in India : There is no finality in these things, and a moment
“ may come when it wall be necessary to reconsider some of the details.” This
remains true. Meanwhile, as everybody will agree, far less depends upon the
letter of the written rule, important as the written rules undoubtedly must be
than upon a spirit of harmonious co-operation in working them. That spirit I
confidently anticipate Your Excellency will have the high good fortune to
secure.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Y our Lordship’s most obedient
humble servant,
(Signed) JOHN MORLEY
About this item
- Content
A signed proof, folios 1-100, plus additional material, folios 101-124. The cover bears the signature of Sir Arthur Hirtzel, Assistant Under-Secretary of State. The report has been annotated in blue pencil at various points.
Contents:
- 'Part I. Preface.
- 'Part II. Origin of Mesopotamia [Iraq] Expedition.'
- 'Part III. Advance from Basra to Kurna.'
- 'Part IV. The Advance to Amara [Al-'Amārah] and Kut [Al-Kūt].'
- 'Part V. Correspondence and Telegrams as to Advance on Baghdad.'
- 'Part VI. The Advance from Kut to Ctesiphon.'
- 'Part VII. Operations for Relief of Kut.'
- 'Part VIII. Armament, Equipment, Reinforcements, &c.'
- 'Part IX. Transport.'
- 'Part X. Medical Breakdown.'
- 'Part XI. Causes Contributing to the Errors of Judgement and Shortcomings of Responsible Authorities.'
- 'Part XII. Findings and Conclusions. Recommendations.'
- 'Separate Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP.'
- 'Appendix I. Vincent-Bingley Report.'
- 'Appendix II. Memorandum by Sir Beauchamp Duff.'
- 'Appendix III. Colonel Hehir's Account of the Siege of Kut-el-Amara.'
Additional material:
- Folio 101. Manuscript note [by Arthur Hirtzel] on net military expenditure.
- Folios 102-109. Copy of the East India (Army Administration), Further Papers regarding the Administration of the Army in India , 1906.
- Folios 110-115. Manuscript notes, titled 'Suggested redraft & amplification of second half of parag 1' [unknown hand].
- Folio 116. A clipping from the Daily Telegraph , Wednesday 4 July 1917, featuring an article titled 'Mesopotamia. Ex-Viceroy's Statement. The Medical Breakdown.'
- Folios 117-124. An expanded typescript version of Hirtzel's manuscript notes (folio 101).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (122 folios)
- Arrangement
A table of contents can be found at folio 4v.
An index can be found at folios 93-97.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 124; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 110-115; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume comprises a stitched pamphlet, and other stitched and loose-leaf material.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [106v] (212/248), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/257, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036338404.0x00000d> [accessed 20 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/257
- Title
- 'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:115v, 117r:124v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence