'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [21r] (46/312)
The record is made up of 1 volume (152 folios). It was created in 1890. 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. .
Transcription
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'The principal houses have “ serdabs ” or underground cellars, where people
retire in the day time in the hottest months. The nights are cool in the hot
months, and the climate not nearly so debilitating as the Indian hot weather.
In Appendix I will be found a weather report taken on the river steamer
Khalifa from January to September 1886.
An ample supply for working steamers by petroleum is available in the sur
rounding districts, the chief sources of supply being
Petroleum supply. wellg at Kifri and Kirkuk. Petroleum was
burnt for a short time on board Lynch's steamers, but the Turks prevented the
company obtaining it any longer. It was brought in skins from Mendali and
Kirkuk to the river bank.
At Hit on the Euphrates, and at various points on the banks of the Tigris
between Mosul and Tikrit, are bitumen deposits.
Messrs. Lynch's chief engineer states that for equal weights the heating
power to be gained from petroleum is three times that of coal—also it would
give a much larger stowage room for cargo.
At present the steamers carry all the coal necessary for the voyage from
Basra to Baghdad : although there is a stock kept at Amara and Kut-'l-Amara,
it isr seldom used.
This native petroleum was also introduced for lighting the city of Baghdad,
but no trouble being taken to refine it, it had to give way to imported Russian
and American oils.
♦
Routes from Baghdad.
Route to KarmanshaJi .—The main route into West Persia lies through.
Karind and the Tak-i-Girra pass [see Route HI). To Karmanshah is a dis
tance of 216^ miles, and from there 103 miles to Hamadan and 290 on to Tihran,
making the total distance Baghdad to Tihran to be 500 miles [see Routes in
Persia, 197, 384).
The stages are—
Intermediate. Total.
• .
Miles.
Miles.
1. Bakuba
• ••
... 33
33
2. Shahraban
... 26
59
3. Kizil Rabat
... 17
76
4. Khanikin
• ••
• ••
... I 85
941
5. Kasr-i-Shirin
,,,
... 16
110 |
6 . Sir-i-Pul
• ••
• ••
... 18
128|
7. Karind
...
... 29
357|
8 . Harunabad
• ••
... 19
176|
9. Mahidasht
...
... 22
lOSj
10 . Karmanshah
...
• ••
... 18
216|
There is a direct route through Mendali, the Gun jir Valley and Zarna to
Karmanshah, described in Route II. The total distance is 226£ miles; 10
miles longer than the above, because of the windings of the road, although in a
straight line it is shorter. 0
This route is now almost unfrequented. Judging from the ruined bridges,
serais, &c., at various points, it was once used as a trade route.
Route to Mosul .—The post route to Mosul lies to the east of the Tigris, and
runs through Kifri, Altun Keupri and Arbil. (Total distance 298 miles*)
About this item
- Content
Narrative report on surveys conducted in Mesopotamia [Iraq], North-West Persia [Iran] and Luristan [Lorestān]. The preface provides the following information:
'The object was to explore various tracts of little known country through which roads lead north from the head of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. to the Waliat of Van and North-West Persia near Urmia. To accomplish this, two routes through Luristan from the Tigris valley were travelled. In southern Kurdistan the roads from Kifri to Sulaimaniah, from there to Rawanduz, and Rawanduz to Amadiyeh, were gone over in Turkey, and Suj-Bulak to Karmanshah through Sakiz and Sihna in Persia. The country south of lake Van to Mosul was traversed in the routes Amadiyeh to Mosul, Mosul to Jazirah, Jazirah to Bashkala, Bashkala to Urmia, and Urmia to Suj Bulak through Ushnu.'
The report contains the following illustrations:
- Tak-i-Girra, looking east (f 42).
- Sketch showing the Town of Rawanduz [Rāwāndūz], (f 63).
- Sketch showing the bridge at Rawanduz. (f 66).
- Sketch showing Amadiyeh [Al 'Amādīyah] from the north-east, (f 76).
- Sketch showing the bridge of Mosul (f 85).
The report contains the following maps:
- Pass of Tak-i-Girra, on the Baghdad-Kermanshah Route, December 1889 (f 41).
- Country in vicinity of Rawanduz, May 1889 (f 64).
- Plateau of Amadiyeh and surrounding country, June 1888 (f 74).
- Plan of Mosul and surrounding country, corrected from Jones' survey, August 1889, (f 87).
- Country between Feishkhabur [Fīsh Khābūr] and Zakho, June 1888, (f 101).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (152 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 154; 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 file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [21r] (46/312), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/144, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100035451478.0x00002f> [accessed 20 February 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/144
- Title
- 'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:40v, 42r:63v, 65r:73v, 75r:85r, 85r, 86r:86v, 88r:100v, 102r:153v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence