File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS'

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

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

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.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/L/PS/10/962

Former external reference(s)

P 301/1921

History of this record

Date(s)

15 Nov 1920-31 Oct 1921 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Political intelligenceInternal politicsPropagandaRefugeesFrontiersPublic opinionPolitical pressElectionsMandates

Places

KurdistanIraqBaghdad

People & organisations

High CommissionerGovernment of IraqKing of Iraq

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File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS', British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/962, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/annos/search/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x00035a> [accessed 27 August 2024]

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