File 788/1919 Pt 4 ‘MESOPOTAMIA DISPOSAL OF RIVERCRAFT’ [19r] (33/240)
The record is made up of 1 item (119 folios). It was created in 26 Apr 1920-3 Feb 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
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CX
Sir,
With reference to your letter of the 2Tth May last.
No* No *121/3/233 (MRS) relative to the employment of River
Gunboats in Mesopotamia, I am commanded by My Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralijy to request you will infom
the Army Council that they note that the Inland Water
Transport organization may cease to exist as a Military
Unit before the end of 1920*
2. It is assumed that when this comes to pass it may
be taken as an indication that military control of the
rivers is no longer necessary, and that all responsibility
for policing the inland waterways will be transferred to
the Civil Administration*
3* My Lords would be glad if this could be confirmed*
They presume that the change would not result in a request
for assistance from the Navy either in regard to vessels
or personnel needed for policing the rivers, but at the
same time they would be willing to consider the loan of •
the four Armed Gunboats to the Civil Administration, if
desired, on the assumption that Naval personnel would
not be employed*
4* My Lords concur in the disposal of the eight "Fly"
class gunboats, which are surplus to military requirements,
as suggested in paragraph 2 of the War Office letter under
reply. They suggest that a similar procedure be followed
In the case of the four gunboats now used for transport ivork,
when these vessels are no longer needed by the Military
Authorities.
I am. Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
(Sd) V.W. Baddeley.
The Secretary,
WAR OFFICE*
About this item
- Content
This part concerns the disposal of river craft in Mesopotamia and contains material relating to:
- The arrangements made by Lord Inchcape [James Lyle MacKay], of the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company Limited, with the Ministry of Munitions towards the purchase of the Government’s surplus river craft in Mesopotamia
- The vessels purchased by the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company from the Government through financial arrangements in Bombay [Mumbai], from March to August 1920
- The transfer of the Inland Water Transport Department in Mesopotamia from military to civilian authorities, and the amount of military transportation vessels to be maintained
- The suggestion of the Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montagu, to the Secretary of State for War, Winston Churchill, that they convince the civilian and military authorities respectively to agree to the sale of the river fleet in Mesopotamia
- The wishes of General James Aylmer Lowthorpe Haldane to retain a portion of the river craft until the railway from Basrah [Basra] to Baghdad has proved its reliability, and consideration that he can carry his supplies by water more cheaply than could be done by possible purchasers
- The criticism of the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, of British Army control over the oil fleet as being ‘uneconomical’, for charging three times that of civilian organisations and railway transportation
- The financial statement of the Ministry of Munitions to Parliament on the ‘Disposal of Surplus Government Property’, together with a ‘Memorandum on Disposals’ (ff 40-47)
- The schedules of the Inland Water Transport Headquarters, Basrah, for fitting out and delivering the vessels to Keti Bandar, Calcutta [Kolkata] and Rangoon [Yangon] (ff 34-37)
- The shortage of personnel in the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force to make the arrangements for the delivery of vessels to the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company
- The observation by the War Office that it would entail an actual loss to make the vessels (all but nine) seaworthy and deliver them to Lord Inchcape under the stipulations
- The responsibility for policing inland waterways in Mesopotamia and the possible takeover, by civil authorities, of four armed gunboats on loan from the Admiralty
- The ‘non-delivery’ of river craft to the Euphrates and Tigris Steam Navigation Company due to the change in the military’s position
- The reluctance of British military authorities in Mesopotamia to place river transport solely under private control, in case of a possible emergency in Government transportation.
- Extent and format
- 1 item (119 folios)
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Title
- File 788/1919 Pt 4 ‘MESOPOTAMIA DISPOSAL OF RIVERCRAFT’
- Pages
- 3r:4v, 6v:7v, 8v:10v, 11v, 16v:56v, 57ar, 57r:75v, 76v:105v, 106ar, 106r:106v, 107v, 107r, 108r:121v
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