'Military Report on Iraq (Area 6 Lower Euphrates)' [‎23r] (50/452)

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re land all
pig. The
few inhabitants were almost entirely Bedawin. One Sikar bnilt a fort
on the present site of Qal’at Sikar, and adopted the son of a negro
woman who gave birth to him on her return after capture by the
Mnntafiq under Ajil as Sa’dun. The child’s name was Haji Said. He
was eventually recognised by the Sa’dun as Governor of the district.
H e was a man of energy and brought merchants from Baghdad and
many Kurds to settle in the district. Qal’at Sikar has been twice
flooded and rebuilt. It flourished until recently when the weakness
of the Turkish rule gave the tribe their chance, and made the trade
routes and surroundings insecure. Large numbers of inhabitants
therefore left Qal’at Sikar and settled in Karradi and elsewhere.
Aerodrome .—The landing ground is not being maintained (July
1921) but the position wonld be useful in the event of a forced landing
in this district. The nature of the surface was good (June 1920) and
approximately 400 yards by 400 yards. The position of the landing
ground is 1 mile S. E. of the town and on the left bank of the Hai
river.
Qurnah .—Is situated on the right hank of che Tigris just upstream
of its juncion with the old Euphrates Channel. Its population is 1,941
of which 1,841 are Shiahs and 100 Sunnis. There is a well s'oeked
bazaar which has recently been roofed and lit by electricity. The
Qurnah water supply is a municipal undertaking and is fed by a
20,000 gallon tank. Unlimited water is also obtainable from the
Tigris or Euphrates. Ocean going steamers of a draught varying from
10—15 feet, dependent on the height of the river ana the state of the
tide, can reach Qurnah at all seasons of the year from Basrah, but
actually seldom proceed further north than Ma’qil where all the berthing
facilities exist. All river steamers can proceed up the Tigris at all
seasons and also up the Euphrates as far as Chabaisli, ai d beyond to
upstream of Darraji provided the channel through the Hnmmar Cake
is sufficiently dredged. The interior waterways of the marshes are,
generally speaking, not navigable by any craft except mashufs.
Owing to the Basrah-Amarah Railway having been t ken np, the
Railway bridge now spanning the Euphrates has been partly dismant
led and a flying ferry, capable of carrying two Ford vans, or 1 lorry,
or 45 men at a time substituted. The double journey takes ten minu
tes. There is no bridge over the Tigris.
Aerodrome .—A landing ground is situated approximately 1 mi'e
south of the junction of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and
is approximately 5U0 yards by 400 yards. The surface is good.
Shatrah, General .—Shatrah is situated mostly on the right bank of
the Shatt al Shatrah and 3 miles downstream of the take off of the
Bad’ah Channel. Distance by road to Nasiriyah is 35 miles. Its
population is 5,500, of which 5,160 are (Shiahs, 200 are Persians, 129