'Field notes: Mesopotamia. General Staff, India. February, 1917.' [‎24r] (54/350)

Infantry, with a gunboat of the Royal Indian Marine (R.I.M.S.
“ Comet ”), stationed on the river.
Communication across the river is at present maintained by
a bridge of boats consisting of 22 pontoons, made of wooden
planking, coated with bitumen. The breadth of the roadway
is 30 feet. On the pontoons near each end of the bridge facing
south are cafes, and in the centre two rooms for the watch
men of the bridge. This bridge was constructed in September
1902, and is in good repair, but the steep ascent and descent
at each end make it difficult for horses, and almost impassable
at low water for wheeled vehicles heavily laden. The bridge is
221 yards long, and 16 of the pontoons are about 42 feet long,
but three pairs in the centre and near the ends are 52 feet
long.
The breadth of the pontoons is about 18 feet.
In high floods or strong wind the bridge has to be swung
back. The approaches on either bank are through narrow,
winding streets. The current in April is about 4 miles an hour,
the average width of the stream being 250 yards, and in flood
it is 30 to 36 feet deep. To allow boats to pass, six pontoons
next the right bank, can be swung back.
In conjunction with other improvements due to the initia
tive of the late Nazim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , tenders have been invited for
the construction of an iron bridge, 240 yards long and 40 feet
broad, with a swinging portion of 33 yards for the passage of
steamers.
In addition to the steam boats plying on the river, which
will be alluded to in Chapter VI, 100 large sailing-boats are
available at Baghdad, carrying from 20 to 100 tons each, and
200 wicker coracles carrying^ 1 ton or ten men.
A British firm in 1911 supplied three 12 knot motor-vessels
to work as ferry boats on the Tigris at Baghdad.
Country immediately around Baghdad .—The country general
ly around Baghdad is quite flat with desert both east and west.
This desert, however, in many places is covered with pasturage
in spring or after any fall of rain and there are some immense
tracts which only require irrigation to become fruitful. Imme
diately in the neighbourhood of the river there is cultivation
and on the right bank gardens and cultivated tracts extend
for some way.