File 978/1917 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration; occupation of Baghdad; the proclamation; Sir P Cox's position' [‎17v] (39/402)

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(2) In the event of its being desired to erect dams at the point where
the Duwairij and the Tib and other rivers leave the Persian hills, the present
frontier may be found somewhat inconvenient as in practically every case it
crosses the river at the foot of the southern slopes of the hills leaving no room
for irrigation works on solid ground in the gorge unless they be erected in
what is now Persian territory.
(3) Most of the existing pillars have been destroyed during the war and
should be re-erected as soon as time permits.
2. As regards the frontier from Mandali to the point where it crosses the
Diyalah river just above the intersection of Longitude 46° and Latitude 35°, it
is at best highly artificial and important tribes live partly on the one side and
partly on the other. But it is unlikely than any better frontier can be found
and no action to modify the frontier is recommended. Strong arguments in
favour of the present line will be found in the correspondence leading up to the
protocol of 1912.
3. Frontier between the Baghdad and, Mosul JVilayats —The most
northerly districts of Iraq are the districts of Khanigin, Samarra and Dulaim.
Their boundaries, as described in the Turkish revenue records, amplified from
other sources, are shown in the attached map. The boundary between
Kdianiqin district and the Mosul Wilayat is the Diyalah river to a point not
far from Dekkeh. The boundary then runs south of Qara Tapa and thence
along the Jehel Hamrin till it crosses the Tigris at Latitude 35°, Umm-ul-Lila
and Sharaimjah thus coming wdthin the Baghdad Wilayat. It may here be
noted that for strategical purposes it would probably be convenient to hold
the gorge at Patha and in any future discussion on frontiers this point should
not be lost sight of. The next point at w r hich w'e have definite information of
the boundary between Mosul and Baghdad Wilayats is between Abu Kemal
and El-Qaim, on the Euphrates. It may be assumed that the boundary runs
in a straight line between the Tigris and Euphrates.
4. It will he noted that El-Qaim forms a very definite jumping off point
for Syria in view of possible railway developments, the distance in a straight
line from El-Qaim to Homs being a little over 250 miles, the distance to
Damascus less than 3C0. It would seem desirable therefore in view of possible
developments that the northern boundary of the Baghdad Wilayat should be
pushed as far north as possible.
5. The boundary between the Baghdad Wilayat and the Arabian Desert is
and always has been indefinite. It may be taken for granted that all cultivable
areas wdthin reach of the Euphrates and the main caravan routes west of the
Euphrates fall within the area which has been under the direct administration
of the Turks in the past and it is certain |that we are nowjjexercising up to the
line shown on the map a jurisdiction at least as effective as that of the
Turks.
6. The boundary between Kuwait principality and: the Basrah JVilayat .—
In this matter we must presumably be guided by the attitude we adopted on
the subject of the boundaries of the Kow^eit principality the Turkish
Government in 1912-13, i.e., Bubian and Warba fall within Koweit hut
not Umm-Qasr The views of the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. on
the Koweit northern boundary are contained in his despatch of August 4th,
1912, to the Government of India (copy enclosed) adopting as proposed therein
Al-Ratak ndge and Jebel Sanam as the boundary, the line would run as
shown on the sketch, entering the Khor Abdulla where it is intersected in
Latitude 30 .
Part II.— Internal Boundaries.
7. Internal boundary between Baghdad and Basrah Wilayats.—The pre-
war boundary may he taken to he approximately as indicated by the black
dotted line on the l-milhon war office sheets 38 H. and I. It has since been
decided however by His Majesty’s Government that for political reasons Kut-
el-A mar ah and Badrah should fall within the Basrah Wilayat. On this
assumption the boundary will run as shown in red on the attached map.
Assuming that Baghdad is under the
same sort of administration as Basrah