'Mesopotamian Transport Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by the Government of India with the Approval of the Right Hon'ble The Secretary of State for India, to Enquire into Questions Connected with the Organisation and Administration of the Railway and River Transport in Mesopotamia' [‎54r] (107/114)

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Spare parts for both hand and power machines of all types should be procured and kept at
the main centres, together with tools, and a staff of mechanics should also be available, con
stantly travelling from centre to centre to examine machines regularly fand carry out repairs
before the condition of machines becomes so bad that complete stoppage is necessary
The total quantity of 90,000 tons of wheat and barley estimated to be' available will require Bags and
2,520,000 bags, representing a tonnage of 2,250. The Director of Supplies and ^Transport will Slialee ^ s '
arrange the provision of these by holding bags in this country, instead of returning them to India.
India should, however, be advised of this at once so that stocks may be replenished
One hundred and forty thousand square yards of hessian, suitable for making shaleefs,
should be ordered from India at once. Each camel shaleef requires about 7 square yards and this
quantity of hessian will provide 20,000 shaleefs. This number would be sufficient to move
about 8.500 tons per month allowing six trips per month. Arrangements should be made
for the whole of the revenueb hoosa to be delivered direct to granaries by cultivators, but if
this, is not possible a greater number of shaleefs will be necessary and transport difficulties will
bo increased correspondingly
This material should be delivered in Baghdad, where a contract could be arranged for making
shaleefs to pattern, the material and the necessary string being sold to the contractor at cost
price. This would ensure his making the best use of the material.
For the sewing of grain bags and shaleefs, 5,000 miles of string will be necessary ; 1 ,430 miles
will be needed for grain bags alone, and the balance will certainly be required in the manufacture
of the shaleefs and for the stitching after the shaleefs have been filled each time.
One thousand five hundred steel sewing needles will also be required for use at the main
centres [and at the receiving depots.
Six hundred and twenty-five tons of baling wire should be provided. Each bale of bhoosa
reauires lb. of wire ; therefore, the weight of baling wire for one ton of bhoosa is 14 lbs. and
for 100,000 tons 625 tons.
Camel transport is likely to be much more useful than Ford Vans, which could not get to Transport
some of the receiving points and Depots. The use of the latter will be restricted to the main
roads, but against this there has to be considered the scarcity of animal transport and efforts
should be made to make as many routes as possible available for motor vans by road improve
ments and the strengthening of irrigation culverts.
Camels will have to bo used to deal with stocks of grain from the smaller receiving points
to the cleaning centres and they should be almost entirely used for the transport of loose bhoosa
in order to free water transport for grain. The Revenue Board should, however, insist on all
revenue payments being made at a granary, payment for any distance over three miles being
made cn the usual scale.
A_ census of the camels available would be useful, and owners should be notified by procla
mation issued by the Civil Commissioner that Government will be prepared to hire next June
large numbers of animals on regular work at a rate of hire on a tonnage carried basis. Efforts
should Le made through Colonel Leachman to secure large numbers of camels from the desert
Arabs, though there is to be considered the objection of nomad tribes to living near towns.
Assuming that the whole of the 150,000 towns of bhoosa were transported during a period
of ehdit months 19,000 tons per month, 22,000 camels would be required ab seven camels to the
ton, working six trips per month, but if all revenue bhoosa is delivered to centres by culti
vators, much of the camel transport will be saved and only 65,000 tons or 8,000 tons per month
for eiiiht months would have to be moved. This would require 9,300 camels. It is assumed that
all revenue bhoosa will not be delivered to granaries and therefore a further 5,000 or 6,000
camels will probably be necessary. It might be said that contractors should deliver to centres
bhoosa purchased on the open market, but as all transport will be in Government employ it
will be probably be necessary to undertake transport, unless it is found desirable to release camels
to large contractors.
This takes no account of grain transport.
It is in connection with land transport that the greatest difficulty arises, and it may be said
at once that camels to the number estimated above cannot be obtained. It will therefore be
economical to get from India large numbers of baling machines and to station them at points
along the mainwaterways and within easy reach of the contemplated line of railway. A per
centage of the bales, say 25, could be stored so that that portion maybe transported by every
available means during the four months not included in tha above calculations.
The large number of camels required, emphasises the necessity for the railway and for ade-
quate rolling stock ; the fulle st amount of river transport and tugs possible, and the assured
allotment of the greatest number of motor vehicles which can be worked efficienctly and econo
mically.
Notification should be issued to the civil population that all transport will be at the call
of the Government and that only such an amount as is considered to be absolutely nescessary for
trade will be libDrated for limited periods, on application being made and tte reason therefore
stated. . > ■ v