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'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918' [39] (48/568)
The record is made up of 1 volume (282 folios). It was created in 1918. It was written in English, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish and Syriac. 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.
CLIMATE
39
during the hot months. From light airs at sunrise the wind
increases to a moderate breeze by about 10 a.m., and by 2 p.m. to
4 p.m. has become a fresh or even a strong breeze. It is strong
enough to raise dust and even sand, so that in the afternoon the
horizon is usually obscured. About sunset the wind drops, to rise
again an hour or two later as a light breeze, which may continue
during the night, falling to a calm before sunrise.
The fresh northerly wind {shamal) which blows in summer mitigates
to some extent the great heat, and contributes to the decrease of the
annual floods in lower Mesopotamia. The main period of the
summer shamal is about 20-30 days in length, but it is usually
interrupted by a few short breaks. This main period begins as
a rule in the first half or middle of June, and is then followed by
a few short periods in July and August. But in 1916 the main
period began extraordinarily late (July 21).
Gales are said to be rare, but probably high winds occur when
depressions pass over the country in the rainy season. In the
summer the afternoon wind is said occasionally to reach gale force,
but this seems to be exceptional.
Sandstorms
Sandstorms are most common in the spring months. They are
strong winds carrying dust and sand like the of Egypt.
They are preceded by dull weather of great and oppressive heat and
usually by a light wind which grows in force until the sand-cloud
which it has raised approaches with great rapidity. During the
passage of the sand-cloud, which may last for some hours, the wind
often blows with extreme violence.
Conditions affecting Aviation
Density. —The density of the air in Mesopotamia has been computed
for four months of the year, including those of mid-winter and mid
summer, and the results are given in the following table:
Table op Density in ( t Rammes per Cubic Metre
Place,
January.
April,
July.
October.
Mosul ....
1,233
1,170
1,089
1,149
Baghdad
1,254
1,194
1,127
1,172
Babylon
1,260
1,166
1,121
1,177
Basra ....
1,250
1,185
1,130
1,176
\
About this item
- Content
This volume is A Handbook of Mesopotamia, Volume I, General (Naval Staff, Intelligence Department: November 1918). This is an updated and expanded edition of A Handbook of Mesopotamia, Volume I, General (Admiralty War Staff, Intelligence Department: August 1916) (IOR/L/MIL17/15/41/1). This is an introductory volume containing matter of a general nature giving an account of conditions in Mesopotamia, for the most part as they were before the First World War.
The volume includes a note on official use, a title page and 'Note'. There is a page of 'Contents' that includes the following chapters and sections:
- Chapter 1: Boundaries and Physical Features;
- Chapter 2: Climate;
- Chapter 3: Minerals;
- Chapter 4: Fauna and Flora;
- Chapter 5: Hygiene;
- Chapter 6: History;
- Chapter 7: Inhabitants;
- Chapter 8: Religions;
- Chapter 9: Administration;
- Chapter 10: Irrigation of Irak [Iraq];
- Chapter 11: Agriculture and Land Tenure;
- Chapter 12: Commerce and Industry;
- Chapter 13: Currency, Weights, and Measures;
- Chapter 14: Communications and Transport;
- Vocabularies;
- Index.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (282 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged in numbered chapters. There is a contents page and an alphabetically arranged index.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the first folio and terminates at the last folio; 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'. of the folio.
Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Armenian, Kurdish and Syriac in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/41/2
- Title
- 'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1:556, ii-r:ii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence