'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎97v] (199/454)

172 HISTORY OF THE WAR : MESOPOTAMIA
On the 5th 6th and 7th February, Lord Hardinge visited the
defences at Shaiba, Qurna, and Muzaira’a. Although on the
days previous there had been hostile demonstrations by lame
bodies of Arabs at Qurna and Shaiba, nothing of the sort
happened during his visit to interfere with his inspection of
the lines of defences. Before his departure on the 8th to
return to India, Lord Hardinge sent General Barrett a letter
for publication in Force Orders, expressing the favourable
impressions he had formed from what he had seen of the
+ 7 hl " letter informed all ranks of his appreciation and of
that of the Government of India of the gallantry and skill
displayed, which, under General Barrett’s leadership had
contributed to make the expedition such a complete success
During his visit Lord Hardinge visited the hospitals and found
conditions good and the men happy and comfortable. The
efficiency of the medical arrangements at that time were
further confirmed by the fact that there had been only twentv-
five deaths m the whole force from disease during the two
r tl \ Te ^ ua : TteT months they had been in the countiy.
Lord Hardinge took the opportunity during this visit to
oiscuss the military situation with General Barrett and the
bemor Naval Officer. Among the points discussed were the
desirability of driving the Turks back from Ruta before they
could be reinforced further; the possibility of an occupation
^ 1 J t aSlnya ’ as adv ocated by Sir P. Cox; and
whether General Barrett felt confident that he could hold on
to Ba-sra with the force he then had. In regard to the latter
point, the Viceroy impressed on General Barrett that it would
e almost impossible to send any more troops to Mesopotamia,
!: or d Hard mge gave him to understand that, in view of
tms, tiie Government were not contemplating any considerable
a vance. he question of a possible future advance to Baghdad
was not mentioned at all. General Barrett gave Lord Hardinge
a written memorandum on the situation which the Viceroy
roug ack to India. In this. General Barrett, after dis
cussing the disadvantages of an attack on Ruta, proposed to
concentrate three brigades of infantry to render the position
yurna . cjzaira a-Shwaiyib secure against any possible
i re would remain a brigade of infantry at Basra,
1 a cavalry brigade at Shaiba ; this would afford a strong
ova. e column for offensive operations across the desert to
nor fh-west of Shaiba. General Barrett also
t^ 1 k ++ r s *Nation at Ahwaz obliged him to reinforce
e a ahon already there, he would certainly require more