File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [50r] (110/586)
The record is made up of 1 volume (289 folios). It was created in 15 Nov 1920-31 Oct 1921. 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.
1
PRESS SUPPLEMENT.
Iraq No. 388, September 1.
CONGRKSS AT GENEVA FOR ARAB INDEPENDENCE.
1. The Editor wishes them good fortune and the realisation of Arab Union.
He h?, U » r fr ° m f!u“ lud P : is ! k ‘ about an article sa yi>'g that he shook hands with all the British
wL h«f ‘a fn ‘l 01 he W ° r , ds ^ e used whal said was that he shook hands with every Briton
who helped and helps us to obtain our independence.
No. 389, September 2.
Iraq and Great Britain.
with^irT K° mpllmenta1 ^ : llluS1 ° nS to British p olic y- Editor says that Britain’s future relation
cleared aw^ A^n T resembl . ance to 'elations with Colony. All past misunderstanding has been
FinaMv Km? aSSage ! U PraiSe ,° f l Sir PerCy C ° X ’ sinCe whoSe arrival a11 has gone well.
Finally, Mr. Churchills speech proved that England does not wish to oppose any liberty but her
to King Faisa^ 6 ^ adV1S6 ^ ^ ™ * friend ‘ Grate£ul aIlu sions to the telegram of King George
2. We hear that some of the masters in Government Schools have resigned for the following
1. Inadequacy of pay.
2. Desire to study in the Law School.
3. Complaints of the position of teachers.
hn T We O obser y e tliat teachers should be properly paid ; teachers cannot at the same time study in
the Law School ; we recommend a special rate of pay for those who are appointed in the provinces
more than at present.
3. Article of the Ahmadiyah school in Kuwit.
Al Iraq No. 391, September 5.
Schools Auqaf.
Writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
, Abdullah Dulaimi, urges the Auqaf to spend money on education ; says this was the
object of the dedicatois. Also to give the Salam Library a better building. The Mustashar is
ready to help the schools and he trusts his idea will be carried out.
Al ' Iraq No. 392, September 6.
The Arabic Language in Government Offices.
1. Criticism of the official Arabic. Full of colloquialisms and Turkish (words. Notices often
unintelligible.
Writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
hopes that the new Government will pay attention to this. He gives
example.
‘Sd.) IBN AL RAFIDAIN.
The New Cabinet.
2. It has reached us that H.M. the King has entrusted H. H. the Naqib to form the New
Cabinet. It is rumoured that H.H. has chosen the following distinguished persons to assume
office :—
1. Haji Ramzi
• •• Interior.
2. Naji Suwaidi
Justice.
3. Shaikh Jawwad al Shabibi
... Education.
4. Nadhim Beg of Kirkuk
Work's.
dinguished persons remain as they are :—
Ja‘far
... Defence.
Sasun
... Finance.
Abdul La tiff Mandil
... Commerce.
Mhd. ‘Ali Fadhl
... Auqaf.
In the interests of ‘ Iraq we hope this news may be confirmed and a Royal Decree issued so as
to further our progress and establish our New Government.
N.B. No. 3 is aged 80.
3. ‘Abbas Eff. the head of the Bahais, congratulates King Faisal from Haifa.
•O'-
About this item
- Content
This volume contains the Intelligence Reports of Sir Percy Cox, High Commissioner for Mesopotamia [also written as Iraq in this volume], based in Baghdad, covering the period 15 November 1920 to 15 September 1921. They largely relate to: the political situation in Mesopotamia and the surrounding region; the formation and proceedings of the provisional government; the events leading up to the creation of Mandatory Iraq [also known as the Kingdom of Iraq under British Administration] and the election and appointment of Faisal [Fayṣal bin Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī] as the first King of Iraq [Fayṣal I].
The Intelligence Reports are numbered and appear to have been issued at two-week intervals. This volume contains the reports numbered 1-3, 9-19 and 21. There is no explanation in the volume regarding the reason for the absent reports. The format of the reports is a mixture of printed and copy typescript. Each report is preceded by a covering circular issued by the office of the High Commissioner indicating the British Government departments and the officers and departments in the Middle East to which the report was copied.
Report Nos. 1-3 are preceded by an assessment of the political situation described in the Intelligence Report, written by Major R Marrs.
The reports generally comprise the following sections:
- A summary of the report (from report No. 14 onwards only)
- An account of the proceedings of the Council of Ministers
- Analysis of current public opinion and allegiances, (notably an analysis of public opinion on the Amir [Emir] Faisal and his arrival in Mesopotamia, including a reference to his 'personal magnetism', f 88), in report Nos 16-19
- Notes on provincial affairs
- Notes on the situation at the frontiers
- Extracts of 'Iraq Police Abstracts of Intelligence' (reports No. 9-14 only).
Other subjects notably covered in various reports include:
- Assyrian, Armenian and Urumiyan [Urmian] refugees (report Nos. 2 and 19)
- Perceived foreign influences in Iraq (report Nos. 2 and 3)
- The withdrawal of Saiyid [Sayyid] Talib Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. [Sayyid Ṭālib bin Rajab al-Naqīb] from the Government and Baghdad (report No. 12)
- Kurdistan (report Nos. 12-14)
- Turkish and Kurdish Frontiers (report No. 12)
- Dair al Zor [Deir ez-Zor] (report Nos. 1 and 12)
- Notes on 'Internal Affairs' (Nos. 18 and 19)
- Analysis of the referendum result which confirmed the election of Faisal as Iraq's first monarch (report No. 19)
- The formation of King Faisal's first cabinet (report No. 21).
Appendices are included with some reports, usually comprising copies of the High Commissioner's proclamations or communications 'to the people of Iraq' or documents relevant to the particular report (notably 'Provisional scheme for the re-organisation of the law courts' and 'Report of the committee constituted for studying the irrigation problem in Mesopotamia' in report No. 9).
Each report is concluded with a Supplement or Press Bureau Report, comprising extensive summaries and extracts of newspaper articles published in the local and 'foreign' (local region mainly) press. Notable publications cited are: Al 'Iraq , Al Fallah Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. , Al Dijlah , and (Syrian publication) Lissan al 'Arab.
The volume 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 end of the correspondence (front of the volume).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (289 folios)
- Arrangement
The reports are arranged mostly in numerical/chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. Report No. 18 is followed by Report No. 21 and then Report No. 19 which is the last report in the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 284; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and two ending flyleaves. The sequence contains one foliation anomaly: f 267a.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [50r] (110/586), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/962, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100111165834.0x00006f> [accessed 23 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100111165834.0x00006f
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100111165834.0x00006f">File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎50r] (110/586)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100111165834.0x00006f"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x00035a/IOR_L_PS_10_962_0110.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x00035a/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/962
- Title
- File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS'
- Pages
- 191r:192r, 174r:176r, 172r:174r, 151r:154r, 126r:127r, 112v:113r, 104r:104v, 95r:97r, 84r:85r, 62v:64v, 50r:50v, 16r:17r
- Author
- al-Iraq xx Al-'Iraq
- Usage terms
- Public Domain
![File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎50r] (110/586) File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎50r] (110/586)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x00035a/IOR_L_PS_10_962_0110.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg)