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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎189r] (382/738)
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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎189r] (382/738)

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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919'
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Ref: IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15

The record is made up of 1 volume (365 folios). It was created in 1919. 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. .

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ANTI-LEBANON
371
forced up into the axis of the depression, and forming the
watershed between the parallel rivers Litani and Hasbani.
At the south-western base of this ridge, where the valleys
reunite, there commences a fertile tract, Merj ‘Ayun, which
falls southward to the spreading marshes and fertile plain of
Huleh at the head of the Ghor.
The depression contains the principal sources of the three
great rivers of Syria—the Orontes, the Litani, and the Jordan.
Most of the depression is therefore fairly well watered,
particularly in the southern part, although the Litani, for
much of its length, is impracticable for irrigation on account
of the deep chasm in which it lies. The valley bottom has
been raised by successive moraine strata; the volcanic
formation is found southward of Rasheya, and also in the
most northern part on the 1. bank of the Orontes. The
narrowest part is opposite Fikeh, S. of Ras Ba‘albek, where
it is only 2 miles wide; the widest part is about half-way
between J. Sannin and ‘Ain ‘Ata, where it is about 8 miles
wide.
Terrific cold tempests occasionally sweep the plain during
winter, causing serious loss of life. Violent whirlwinds are
also common. Snow falls in winter, and in spite of the
high altitude fever is generally prevalent. At Meshghareh,
alt. 3,000 ft., in a small valley at the base of Tumat Niha,
55 in. of rain fell in 60 days between October and April
1895-6 ; during the same months of 1898-9 the fall was
22| in. These two records probably represent the maximum
and minimum for the locality ; in each period the greatest
fall of 28 in. and 10J in. respectively, was during the months
of January and February.
The name Sahelet Ba'albeh, ‘plain of Ba‘albek,’ is given
to that part of the depression lying north of the parallel
of Zahleh. It is a fertile but not too well watered tract as
far N. as Ba'albek where lies the plain Merjet el-Earada,
which is flooded in winter and in summer retains water
from the uplands at a level of 3-4 ft. below the surface. This
place is frequented by nomads and their flocks, and cavalry

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Content

Admiralty handbook regarding Syria (including Palestine) 'to as far north as the River Orontes and a line Antioch-Aleppo-Meskeneh. For details of the part of Syria beyond this line reference must be made to the Handbook of Asia Minor , Vol. iv, Part 2 (C.B. 847 C).'

'Contents. Chapters:

  • I. Boundaries and Physical Survey, p 9 (folio 7)
  • II. Climate, p 24 (folio 14v)
  • III. Minerals, Flora and Fauna, p 93 (folio 50)
  • IV. Military History, p 109 (folio 58)
  • V. Inhabitants, p 175 (folio 91)
  • VI. Turkish Administration, p 236 (folio 121v)
  • VII. Agriculture, p 252 (folio 129v)
  • VIII. Industry and Trade, p 276 (folio 141v)
  • IX. Currency, Weights and Measures, p 318 (folio 162v)
  • X. Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 325 (folio 166)
  • XI. Country East of Jebel Ansarīyeh, p 344 (folio 175v)
  • XII. Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon, and Damascus Plain, p 357 (folio 182)
  • XIII. River Systems of Northern Syria, p 395 (folio 201)
  • XIV. Judea and the Southern Desert, p 427 (folio 217)
  • XV. Samaria (including Carmel), p 472 (folio 239v)
  • XVI. Galilee, p 515 (folio 261)
  • XVII. Haurān and Jaulān, p 556 (folio 281v)
  • XVIII. 'Ajlūn and Northern Belqa, p 580 (folio 293v)
  • XIX. Southern Belqa and Ardh el-Kerak, p 612 (folio 309v)
  • XX. El-Jibāl and Esh-Shera, p 636 (folio 321v)
  • XXI. The Ghōr (Jordan and the Dead Sea); and Wādi 'Arabah, p 645 (folio 326)
  • Appendix: Conventional Spellings, p 668 (folio 337v)
  • Index, p 669 (folio 338)
  • Plates, p 725' [missing]
Extent and format
1 volume (365 folios)
Arrangement

The volume contains a contents page (folio 6) and an index (folios 338-365).

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 367; 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. Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume originally contained fourteen plates showing maps, bound into the back of the volume. These are now missing; details of the plates can be found at folio 5v.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919' [‎189r] (382/738), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100033282270.0x0000b7> [accessed 7 March 2025]

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Reference
IOR/L/MIL/17/16/15
Title
'A handbook of Syria (including Palestine). London: Naval Staff Intelligence Department, June 1919'
Pages
front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:366v, back-i
Author
East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
Usage terms
Open Government Licence