!['IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎308v] (619/862)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000239.0x000178/IOR_L_MIL_17_15_64_0641.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎308v] (619/862)")
'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [308v] (619/862)
The record is made up of 1 volume (430 folios). It was created in 1944. 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.
CHAPTER XI
CURRENCY, FINANCE, COMMERCE, AND OIL
CURRENCY
S o long as the vilayets which were later formed into the kingdom of
Iraq remained a part of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman currency
prevailed. From April 1916 onwards this was nominally on a gold
basis, but it had greatly depreciated because gold was continually
being withdrawn from circulation and paper substituted. The British
forces during the war brought Indian rupee notes and silver with
them and these rapidly displaced Ottoman currency in regions of
occupation. This introduction of Indian currency was inevitable for
military purchases in Mesopotamia since the armies were at first
administered and financed from India, and it continued when the
military authorities acted as treasurers of the civil administration.
At the end of 1916, in order to avoid the chaos of the two parallel
currencies, Turkish currency was demonetized in the occupied areas;
a little later a rate of exchange of 14
rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
to one Turkish gold
pound was fixed, so that debts in the earlier currency could be paid,
the rupee being then stable at is. \d. sterling. Turkish and not
British gold coin was, however, still in circulation in Iraq at the end of
the war, particularly among the desert tribesmen. For this and other
reasons the prohibition on the Ottoman currency was relaxed in 1920.
The rupee was not displaced by a national Iraqi currency and note
issue until 1 April 1932. Under the law that instituted this change
the Iraqi dinar (I.D.), of the value of a pound sterling to which it is
tied, equals 5 riyals, or 20 dirhams, or 1,000 fils. Notes are for a
quarter (5s.), a half (10s.), and one dinar, and for 5, 10, and 100
dinars. Silver coins for 50 fils (dirham = is.) and 20 fils (about $d)
are in circulation, and other coins for 10 and 4 fils (nickel), 2 and
1 fils (bronze). The 50-fils coin weighs 9-0 grammes, and the 20-fils,
3-6 grammes. A larger coin of 200 fils (riyal = 4s.) was put into
circulation in June 1933. The currency is controlled by an Iraqi
Currency Board sitting in London. The value of the rupee was fixed
at the same time at 75 fils (is. 6^.). In 1935-1936 the Currency
Board made a contribution of I.D. 15,000 to the Iraqi treasury. In
the following year this contribution was increased to I.D. 81,000.
The progressive growth of the Iraqi currency is shown in the
following table:
About this item
- Content
The volume is titled Iraq and the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. (London: Naval Intelligence Division, 1944).
The report contains preliminary remarks by the Director of Naval Intelligence, 1942 (John Henry Godfrey) and the Director of Naval Intelligence, 1944 (E G N Rushbrook).
There then follows thirteen chapters:
- I. Introduction.
- II. Geology and description of the land.
- III. Coasts of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .
- IV. Climate, vegetation and fauna.
- V. History.
- VI. People.
- VII. Distribution of the people.
- VIII. Administration and public life.
- IX. Public health and disease.
- X. Irrigation, agriculture, and minor industry.
- XI. Currency, finance, commerce and oil.
- XII. Ports and inland towns.
- XIII. Communications.
- Appendices: stratigraphy; meteorological tables; ten historical sites, chronological table; weights and measures; authorship, authorities and maps.
There follows a section listing 105 text figures and maps and a section listing over 200 illustrations.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (430 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is divided into a number of chapters, sub-sections whose arrangement is detailed in the contents section (folios 7-13) which includes a section on text-figures and maps, and list of illustrations. The volume consists of front matter pages (xviii), and then a further 682 pages in the original pagination system.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 430; 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.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [308v] (619/862), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/64, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100037366481.0x000014> [accessed 23 March 2025]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100037366481.0x000014
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100037366481.0x000014">'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎308v] (619/862)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100037366481.0x000014"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000239.0x000178/IOR_L_MIL_17_15_64_0641.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000239.0x000178/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/64
- Title
- 'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:253r, 254r, 255r:429v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence