‘Report for the Army Council on Mesopotamia. By Sir John P Hewett, GCSI, KBE’ [‎28r] (60/119)

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Certain vessels are in use in the Port Officer’s Department, including the Patrol Vessel “ Alert,”
which was handed over by the Admiralty. The other craft comprise a Port buoy vessel, a Port tug,
the hulk “ Elphinstone ” used as a hostel for seamen, two steam launches, six motor launches, an anchor
boat and a Port fire float. These vessels are valued by the Director of Inland Water Transport at
Rs. 4,88,760 (£32,584). The survey vessel “Industry,” a survey steam cutter, a tug and three motor
boats have also been allotted to the Port Construction and Conservancy Department by the Director
of Inland Water Transport and are value*d by him at Rs. 2,83,500 (£18,900). Details of these vessels
* are given in Appendix XXII.
There are also in use in the Port 4 Light Buoys, valued at Rs. 22,500 (£1,500), and 34 other buoys
valued by the Port Officer at Rs. 16,800 (£1,120). Five “ Aga ” Light Buoys are under order, of which
the value is not known. Various miscellaneous items (chains, diving boats, &c.), are estimated at
Rs. 22,500 (£1,500).
In order to cope with the constantly increasing congestion of the port, it was found iiecessary to
provide a further outlet. A site was found at Nahr Umar, 17 miles above Basrah. Here two ocean
wharves and pontoons have been constructed, at which six ships can be berthed. The area behind
the wharves has been protected from flood, sites for depots have been constructed, and railway sidings
introduced connecting the wharves with the Makina-Amarah line. The development of Nahr Umar
was discontinued after Major-General Freeland (vide paragraph 63 of his report), had recommended
this course. He considered it would still be useful as a reserve (paragraph 64). Two ships can be worked
there at wharves, and four others over pontoons. This subsidiary port has proved of great value in
facilitating the quick discharge of cargo and turning round of ships ; and the expenditure incurred on
it seems to have been fully justified from a military standpoint. It was, however, constructed entirely
for military considerations, and is not required by the civil administration. No estimate of its cost
is included in this valuation. It may prove suitable in future as a site for the construction of factories
by private enterprise.
The low-lying island contiguous to the Magil front has also been protected from the river, and
reclaimed with earth obtained by dredging. It has been used as a storage place for coal and fuel, and
affords exceptional facilities for handling material from ocean vessels to be afterwards loaded to river
craft. It is not required by the civil administration, and the cost of reclamation has not been included
in the estimate. It may in future afford building sites for a residential quarter.
66. The terms on which the civil administration can take over the port of Basrah and its equipment
depend on the decision in respect of its power to levy port dues. Unless the Civil Commissioner is given
authority to levy such dues the reimbursement from civil revenues of the estimated cost of the equipment
of the port and its approaches would be impossible. The question was referred to the Secretary of State
for India in the Civil Commissioner’s telegram of the 21st January last. It can hardly be conceived that
port dues will not be levied at a port so admirably equipped as Basrah now is, or that ships will be per
mitted to discharge cargoes at any place outside the port. On the understanding that the civil adminis
tration will be permitted to levy port dues, the Civil Commissioner is prepared to take over the whole
equipment of the port at its estimated cost. This would be a favourable arrangement for the civil ad
ministration. The Civil Commissioner proposes that a Port Authority should be established to manage
the Port; to take charge, under the advice of the Admiralty, of the dredging of the bar, and to assume
responsibility for the maintenance of lights and buoys in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . We understood that Lieut.-
Colonel Wilson intends to propose to the Treasury that the cost price of the port and its equipment should
be debited to the civil administration, and that a sinking fund should be established in order to extinguish
the liability for principal and interest. The terms of such an arrangement could only be settled after
an expert examination of the prospects of the revenue and expenditure of the port, and would involve
the primary condition that its management should be in the hands of an authority equipped with the
necessary knowledge and experience. At the present stage it is not possible to say more than that the
administration of the port of Basrah is perhaps the most important matter to be settled in Mesopotamia ;
and that the requirements in peace-time need to be determined by means of a survey by experts possessing
shipping and commercial knowledge, and familiar with port administration. It is obvious also that the
financial arrangements to ensure the repayment of the capital outlay will need to be elaborated with great
care. Since the civil revenues of the country cannot actually provide the capital required it would be
advisable that the home authorities, who already stand charged with the expenditure incurred in creating
the port, should have some direct measure of control over its management.
Inland Water Transport's Dockyard, Workshops and Fleet.
67. The terrible conditions which were caused by the shortage of river transport during the earlier
stages of the Mesopotamian Expedition are fresh in the minds of all, and are full detailed in Part IX of
the Commission’s Report. The deficiency in equipment was remedied by degrees till the arrangements
have become as good as they were bad formerly. On the 7th September, 1916, the Inland Water Trans
port assumed control of the whole fleet and repair shops on the river, and shortly afterwards prepared
a scheme for the dockyard.
Dockyard.
This dockyard lies on an artificial island 24 acres in extent between the Ashar and Khandaq Creeks.
The excavation of the basin, which is situated at the back of the dockyard, and covers an area of 15
acres, together with its two connecting arms, involved the removal of 286,000 cubic yards of soil. With
this material the island was raised to a convenient height above flood level, and an elevated platform at
the end of the slipways was constructed to provide for the accommodation of their hauling gear.