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'Handbook of Mesopotamia. Vol. I. 1918' [277] (286/568)
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.
COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT
277
probably break through the desert crust and get bogged in the mud
beneath. Where the ground is soft solid tyres will cut from the
outset, so that pneumatic tyres are almost essential. The consump
tion of petrol is extraordinarily high (3-4 miles per gallon for Peer
less lorries) owing to the impossibility of using the higher gears even
in dry weather. In wet weather it has been found that mechanical
transport is quite unable to move anywhere.
The general conclusions with regard to motor transport in Irak
have been summed up as follows :
(1) Weight on road. —Should be as small as possible.
(2) Bearing surface of wheels. —Should be relatively as large as
possible compared with power and weight of car.
(3) Tyres. —Should be pneumatic without exception.
(4) Springs. — Strong springs absolutely essential, with an extra leaf
in addition to the maker's usual specification. This applies both to
back and front springs.
(5) ShocJc-ahsorbers. —Should be fitted to rear springs.
(6) Buffers. —Buffers such as ' Nevajahs' should be fitted to all
springs in addition to the shock-absorbers specified above.
(7) Badiators. —Big radiators are absolutely necessarv, preferably
honeycomb.
(8) Adjustable extra air-inlets. —Are necessary.
(9) Wheels. —Should be of metal, not wood.
(10) Bodies. —Should be light.
(11) Spare parts. —These should be in a proportion of at least
15 per cent. This is one of the most important points of all.
(b) Wheeled vehicles drawn by animals :
The common name for all animal-drawn wheeled vehicles used in
the country or towns is araba. The following types may be
distinguished :
(i) The araba or yaila. A light four-wheeled carriage on springs,
drawn by 2 or 3 horses or mules. The whole body is covered by
a rounded hood for protection against sun or bad weather. The
vehicle is entered from the side. It can hold 2 passengers comfort
ably, and will take up to 4; 2 persons can be stretched inside the
wagon. The front part forms the seat for the driver, and a fair
amount of baggage can be carried behind. The hood-construction
acts as a good protection if the carriage overturns, as sometimes
happens in the hills. An inferior make of this type is used for the
transport of baggage or goods, taking perhaps up to 15 cwt.
The width of the araba's wheel-track is about 4 ft., the width of
the body about 6 ft.
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