!['Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎103v] (206/248)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000912.0x0000b2/IOR_L_PS_20_257_0208.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎103v] (206/248)")
'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [103v] (206/248)
The record is made up of 1 volume (122 folios). It was created in 1906-1918. 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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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IM
11 (F) Army Department. —All business connected with (i.) the Army,
except such business as is allotted to the Department of Military Supply, (ii.)
Cantonments, (iii.) the Volunteers.
u (G) Department of Military Supply. —All business connected with (i.) the
control of Army Contracts, (ii.) the purchase of Stores, Ordnance, and Remounts,
(iii.) the custody and control of all Stores, Ordnance and Remounts not expressly
assigned by Government of India to the Army Department, (iv.) the manage
ment of Military Works, (v.) the Clothing and Manufacturing Depart
ments, (vi.) the Indian Medical Service, (vii.) the Royal Indian Marine,
(viii.) Marine surveys and dangers to navigation (corresponding with the
Hydrographic Section of the Admiralty).
“2. Subject to provisions of Rule 1, the business of the different Depart
ments shall, for the purposes of the first perusal of papers, and of the
initiation of orders thereon, be allotted to the Governor-General and the
Members of Council in such manner as the Governor-General may from time
to time direcc.
“ Part II. Disposal of Business. Draft Rule 3.—Save as otherwise pro
vided by Rules 3a, 5 (^2), 6, and 6a, cases shall ordinarily be submitted by
Secretary in the department to which subject belongs for purposes of the first
perusal of papers, and of the initiation of orders thereon, to the Member in
charge of that Department.
“ Draft Rule 3a.—In the Army Department papers and cases may be
submitted to the Member in charge of the Department by the Head of the
Division of the Department to which subject has been assigned by Member.
“ Draft Rule 6a.—In order to enable the Secretary to Government of India
in the Army Department to discharge duties imposed upon him by Rules 5 (2),
6, 9, and 39 : (i.) he shall be a member of the advisory Council ; (ii.) he shall
have the right to attend all the meetings of the Mobilisation Committee, and
shall be informed of business to be brought before the Committee, and of decisions
arrived at, (iii.) all matters entered in a schedule approved by the Governor-
General shall be referred to him before orders are issued : (iv.) a list of the
papers and cases submitted to the Member in charge of Department under
Rule 3a shall be furnished to him daily ; (v.) he shall be entitled at any stage
of discussion of any subject assigned to the Army Department, (a) to call for
the papers, (b) to record, for the consideration of Member in Charge, a note
on any matter.
“Draft Rule 11, (2) (b ).—The Army Department and the Department of
Military Supply may each, without making a previous reference to Financial
Department, issue orders sanctioning any expenditure which (1) does not
require sanction of Secretary of State, (2) does not involve any outlay in excess
of total sanctioned Budget provision under any major head of account, and (3)
does not involve re-appropriation from any one or more grants or minor heads
of account to any other such grants or minor heads exceeding in the aggregate
3
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
in any one financial year.”
The draft distributes the functions of the present Military Department
between the Army Department.[and the Department of Military Supply. It
further amalgamates the new Army Department with the Army Headquarters
under the control of the Commander-in-Chief as Member of Council. The
following detailed explanation will show how effect has been given to these
principles, and what provision has been made for necessary constitutional control
of the army.
The additions under Rule 1 head (E) place Army Finance and the Military
Accounts Department under the control of the Financial Department.
Rule 1, head (F) (i.), follows lines of existing rule, and assigns to the
Army Department all business not expressly allotted to the Supply Department.
There are now no cantonments in Native States administered by the Governor-
General in Council.
*
About this item
- Content
A signed proof, folios 1-100, plus additional material, folios 101-124. The cover bears the signature of Sir Arthur Hirtzel, Assistant Under-Secretary of State. The report has been annotated in blue pencil at various points.
Contents:
- 'Part I. Preface.
- 'Part II. Origin of Mesopotamia [Iraq] Expedition.'
- 'Part III. Advance from Basra to Kurna.'
- 'Part IV. The Advance to Amara [Al-'Amārah] and Kut [Al-Kūt].'
- 'Part V. Correspondence and Telegrams as to Advance on Baghdad.'
- 'Part VI. The Advance from Kut to Ctesiphon.'
- 'Part VII. Operations for Relief of Kut.'
- 'Part VIII. Armament, Equipment, Reinforcements, &c.'
- 'Part IX. Transport.'
- 'Part X. Medical Breakdown.'
- 'Part XI. Causes Contributing to the Errors of Judgement and Shortcomings of Responsible Authorities.'
- 'Part XII. Findings and Conclusions. Recommendations.'
- 'Separate Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP.'
- 'Appendix I. Vincent-Bingley Report.'
- 'Appendix II. Memorandum by Sir Beauchamp Duff.'
- 'Appendix III. Colonel Hehir's Account of the Siege of Kut-el-Amara.'
Additional material:
- Folio 101. Manuscript note [by Arthur Hirtzel] on net military expenditure.
- Folios 102-109. Copy of the East India (Army Administration), Further Papers regarding the Administration of the Army in India , 1906.
- Folios 110-115. Manuscript notes, titled 'Suggested redraft & amplification of second half of parag 1' [unknown hand].
- Folio 116. A clipping from the Daily Telegraph , Wednesday 4 July 1917, featuring an article titled 'Mesopotamia. Ex-Viceroy's Statement. The Medical Breakdown.'
- Folios 117-124. An expanded typescript version of Hirtzel's manuscript notes (folio 101).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (122 folios)
- Arrangement
A table of contents can be found at folio 4v.
An index can be found at folios 93-97.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 124; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 110-115; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence. The volume comprises a stitched pamphlet, and other stitched and loose-leaf material.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [103v] (206/248), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/257, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100036338404.0x000007> [accessed 15 November 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/257
- Title
- 'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:115v, 117r:124v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence