'Military Report on Mesopotamia (Iraq)' [‎91r] (186/226)

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porterage of wood fuel. The main line has been out of
action since the beginning of 1920.
In case it were required to undertake operations
against the Turkish Nationalists in Nisibin, and the con
struction of a supply railway were necessary from Mosul,
the existing German work could be utilized and expanded.
Light railways could be constructed anywhere in
Northern Jazirah except in the hills.
Inland W ct£er.—Lxcepting the Tigris, the rivers in
Northern Jazirah cannot be used for conveyance of trans
port. The Tigris between the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Suwaidiyah and
Mosul has already been described in Area 9 (Central
Kurdistan).
Telegraphs. —Northern Jazirah is practically devoid of
telegraphic communication. There was formerly a tele
graph line between Mosul and Nisibin via Hogena. In
1921 this was out of use between Hogena and Nisibin.
Tel Afar is connected to Mosul via Hogena. There is,
however, no telegraphic communication between Sin jar
and Tel Afar. In Turkish territory Nisibin and Has al
Ain are _ military stations and possess telegraphic and
telephonic communication with each other. Ras al Ain
is connected to Aleppo, but the line is out of order.
Mardin and Jazirah ibn Omar are connected with
Nisibin by telegraph. Very little work is required to
establish telegraphic communication between Mosul and
Nisibin.
Postal Services. —There is an Iraq postal service
between Mosul and Sinjar via Tel Afar. The mail is
carried twice a week by pack-horses escorted by gen
darmes. The charge for letters is 3 annas each. Below
3 parcel rates for Iraq Inland Postal
Service
Tolas.
Rs.
Ans.
80
—
10
160
1
0
240
1
6
320
1
12
400
2
2
480
2
8
560
2
14
640
3
4
720
3
10
800
4
0
Between Nisibin and Aleppo the postal service was
maintained over the railway in pre-war days, but this has
now been discontinued. In 1921 there was a strict