File 3372/1916 Pt 2 'Arabia: French and Italian policy' [‎36v] (81/498)

Vi
, , , , r + ] 10 r>mmtrv on the otoiiiuI tlutt t)iey liavo all beeu born
even tbougb tliey be Arabb o 1 ‘ , cal mot rise above ihe evil traditions of
and bred in a vicious school ot ^ to fl^ well-to-ilo merchant or land-
Bntish 0(IiCer ’ Wll0 ° f C0U,S6
Arab subordinates.
- 210
,, T fll11 _ rMlis e the importance of fin,ling or creating a type suitable for
I.). J lull ( \ n aine . .1 {\ t j s ^at it does not at present exist. In
employment m the | ,,,pe \ l0 ‘ ^|r‘^ rsonnc } j s a l mo st entirely indigenous. Where other'
the more mibowmaep » » ^1 en ‘j e() ; t is almost entirely in the purely clerical
elements, 'y 1 ' 0 " 0 _ " • ' Hc . u lqnarter Administration, e.g., elencal and cypher
hh^erlnU^ branch of Govehnnent Press. &c. The follow,ng ts a rough
analysis of employees in the Baghdad Vilayet:
Arab, Armenian, Christian, Jew, ex-employees of the late Govern-
ment taken over by us -
Newly sanctioned by us :—
Mohammedans of Iraq
Domiciled Persians of Iraq
.lews of Iraq
Christians, Syrians, Chaldeans
Egyptians -
Indian Christians
British-born Europeans - " .
(Government offices, Government i ress, Ac.)
17
lb
60
132
19
35
M The highest tvpe of official corresponding to those who function as Heads of
Departments and Ministers of State does not exist in Mesopotamia ; they will have
to be imported.
15 To u'liat extent is the Adminislralion based on Indian models, and to what
extent is British supervision indispensable ?
is
Except in that the “ Iraq Occupied Territories ” Code of Law applied in Basrah
msed on English and Indian Law (just as the Soudan Code is) the administration
is not in any way based on Indian models. We have taken over the structure of the
Turkish administrative system as we fend it, substituting British officers for
Mutessarifs, Qahnaqams, &c., but for the present designating them Political Officers
and Assistant Political Officers, while in the posts which, under the Turks, would
have been filled by an. official of the status of Mudir, we have been able to employ
natives of the counrry subject to the exception that wherever Pritish garrisons or
troops are located it is essential, owing to the difficulty of the language question, and
the fact that the local product cannot be left to deal with our troops, to use British
officers, and we thus require more of them now than will be necessary in the
permanent administration, after the troops have left. But apart from that, as I have
explained above, until we can produce the necessary type of superior Arab official
more extensive and close supervision by British officers will continue to he
necessary.
16. In my opinion, with the unavoidable exception of the military regime of the
Military Governors in the large towns, the administration as carried on now in Basrah
and Baghdad Vilayets is that to which the people, both urban and rural, have been
accustomed, except that the element of corruption is greatly reduced.
17. The branches of the administration in which we are necessarily most backward,
and in regard to which our hands are in a great measure tied during the military
occupation by military considerations and exigencies, are the Civil Judicial and
Civil Medical.
18 As regards the former, Mr. Bonham Carter, the Judicial Officer who was lately
appointed from Kgypt, has only been with me a short time, but is now getting into
the saddle. 1 have submitted to the 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. a copy of proposals for a temporary
— • » » X. v-' vv V.' j X. | / I v / | / \ / | 1 I J JL\.y x X V M. J -
judicial system for the Ifighdad Vilayet formulated by him in consultation with me.
Tt : -- J Ar 1 1 iiii i • has
It seems to me just what is required. Meanwhile, such local law and justice as has.
been essential has been administered by my district Political Officers with simple civil