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File 978/1917 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration; occupation of Baghdad; the proclamation; Sir P Cox's position' [7r] (18/402)
The record is made up of 1 volume (195 folios). It was created in 6 May 1917-8 Oct 1919. 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.
7
[P 1434]
xTs'
From Sir P. Cox, 7th April 19] 7.
(Addressed to Foreign, repeated to Secretary of Slate for India, and
Political, Basra.)
(Received at 9 p.m.)
1. No comment needed from me.
2. T agree.
3. Rider wdi (s/e ? not) be acceptable or feasible as I know of no outstand[im
personality who could fill part. An Administrative Council presided over
by High Commissioner seems best solution, either one for each vilayat or
a combined one for both vilayats.
d ()0■ J agiee that the teriitory should be administered in accordance
with existing laws and institutions, and I am moreover convinced that there
would be great advantage in having uniform codes for Basra and Baghdad
and other Arab provinces under foreign rule or protection. The [rap
code has served its purpose well, but it is admittedly provisional and
levocable on the conclusion of war, and whatever be the final political
status of Basra, there seems to be no essential reason why systems established
in both vilayats should not be assimilated. It must be’remembered that
Turkish judicial system included final reference to Constantinople for which
substitute must be found by creation of High Court of Mesopotamia with
final appeal to Privy Council. Incidentally also the civil and criminal codes
and land laws will require considerable amendment and adjustment of
wording to make them interpretable at all. As regards substitution of
Arab for Turkish personnel, there is not sufficient indigenous materia)
available at present, but it can gradually be created.
4 (6). Tribal system of government already adopted where suitable, and
no objection to provincial and local councils.
4 (e). I agree in principle.
4 (cl). I agree in proposition, but for duration of war we must have some
latitude, especially in regard to clerical establishments. Urgent require
ments of Expeditionary Force and military administration cannot wait, and
have to be met by the most expeditious means possible.
b. Of course in principle it would be much more satisfactory to have the
Basra and Baghdad Vilayats administered on one cohering (?) system both
in regard to principle and detail. But I know that on the one hand we
cannot annex both, and on the other hand the importance of annexing Basra
makes it necessary to put up with certain disadvantages which that course may
involve. I feel convinced, however, that no attempt to differentiate funda
mentally in regard to working principles and details of two administrations
w iH produce satisfactory results, and that they should be so similar as to. be
indistinguishable in the working. The difference would be one of technical
political status and nomenclature which need not make itsell felt on the
spot To attempt to run the two vilayats, which are from every point of
view inseparable, on conflicting lines and inconsistent with principles would,
I am sure, result in great prejudice to all interests concerned.
6. No comment or objection. , r
7 Nejef and Kerbela should not be treated as an enclave cut otl irom
ad van tunes resulting to united Mesopotamia from enlightened Government
which advahage inhabitants anticipate with lively expectation and will
About this item
- Content
This volume contains correspondence, reports, telegrams and minutes regarding negotiations and administration, largely between 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. , Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox, and the Government of India, after the occupation of Baghdad (Fall of Baghdad) on 10 March 1917. The negotiations concern the administrative organisation and political control of Mesopotamia, as well as the external and internal boundaries of Iraq (also spelled Irak in the volume).
Related matters of discussion include the following: the text of the Baghdad proclamation; the future administration of the territory by the Foreign Office instead of the Government of India; the regulation of the new territory; the responsibilities of the Chief Political Officer in the new territory; the Turco-Persian frontiers. The correspondence in the volume is internal correspondence between British officials. The principal correspondents are as follows: Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Cox; Lieutenant-General Sir Stanley Maude; the War Office; the Secretary of State for India; the Political Department, 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. ; the Under-Secretary of State for India; the Viceroy of India; the Government of India’s Foreign and Political Department; the Foreign Office; the Government of India.
In addition to this correspondence, the volume contains reports of the War Cabinet's Mesopotamia Administration Committee, as well as the following documents: memoranda on external frontiers and internal boundaries of Iraq (ff 17-18) (ff 20-25); a map of Arabia and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (f 28);
The file includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the front of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (195 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
The subject 5320 (Mesopotamia Negotiations) consists of two volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/666-667. The volumes are divided into two parts, with each part comprising one volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 197; 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 3-195; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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File 978/1917 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration; occupation of Baghdad; the proclamation; Sir P Cox's position' [7r] (18/402), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/666, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100075826204.0x000013> [accessed 19 April 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/666
- Title
- File 978/1917 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration; occupation of Baghdad; the proclamation; Sir P Cox's position'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:27v, 29r:111v, 113r:120r, 121r:133v, 134ar:134av, 134r:139v, 140ar, 140r:145v, 149r:154v, 155ar, 155r:196v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence