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'Railways - Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communication] Policy' [67r] (133/204)
The record is made up of 1 file (100 folios). It was created in 18 May 1917-21 Dec 1917. 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
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To.- C. - in**C« , A.Hoti,, India
Repeated G.OoC. Mesopotamia.
.» •
5.9.17.
40791 cipher^
y . '
1. Your 57283 and Maude's X.3360. Capacity for
discharge of railway conctiuotion material and rolling atoclc
at Basra is apparently limited to 7,000 tons a month, (see
Maude's X. 3007 28th July) with no prospect at presant of
a substantial increase* Delivery of 150 miles standard
gauge material for Poluja and Musaiyiti lines and for
extension beyond San&rra and of rolling stocfc for and
for Basra^Kurna line cannot at this rate be completed till
about middle of February, and delivery of 50 miles metre
^auge tracic for convereion of Badcubah lino till end. of Maroh*-
Materied and rolling steek for; Amara~Kut line would take e
further 5 months to discharge.. Further it is atill the
opinion held hero thadb, owing to the naturo of the country
th^.rb which the Amara^Kut section must pass the capacity
of this line would be so small* even if the state of the port
of Bacra admitted the import of the nocsssaiy material without
detriment te other more important requirements, which is not
the case, that it would, not be sufficiently valuable te
warrant construction
About this item
- Content
The file, marked secret, contains correspondence and notes regarding rail and river transportation for the Mesopotamian campaign during the First World War. The papers cover a number of matters, including:
- Strategic considerations of the use of rail and river communications
- Supply of railway materials, rolling stock, and personnel to Mesopotamia [Iraq] from India, other parts of the British Empire, and allied territories
- Problems with unloading and shipping congestion at Basra
- Progress of railway construction, including weekly reports from the General Officer Commanding or Director of Railways to the War Office, starting from August 1917
- Capacity estimates (for troops, food, ammunition, and materials) and efforts to increase it
- Complaints of shortages of railway stock and personnel in India due to the demand in Mesopotamia
- Preparations for a commission, led by Sir Henry Francis Edward Freeland, to be sent to review rail and river transportation in Mesopotamia
- Questions of flooding and damming of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Correspondents include: the Commander-in-Chief, India; the Chief of the Imperial General Staff; the General Officer Commanding, Mesopotamia; the War Office; the Director of Railways, Mesopotamia; the War Section, Army Department, Government of India; and Major General Sir Henry Francis Edward Freeland.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (100 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged in chronological order, from the rear to the front.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 102; 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; these numbers are written in coloured crayon and pencil; where they have been written in pencil and circled, they have been crossed through.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Railways - Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communication] Policy' [67r] (133/204), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/5/787, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100098482356.0x000086> [accessed 17 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/5/787
- Title
- 'Railways - Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communication] Policy'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:101v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence