'Military Report on Iraq. Area 2 (Upper Euphrates)' [‎19v] (43/140)

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For a line of sight from any considerable height this form of
interference would not be serious, but when the ground is
highly heated, the ascending hot air and the cooler air which
descends to take its place will probably produce a general
haziness through the hottest time of the day.
Visibility is generally good.
Clouds are rare in summer and the few that do occur are
cirrus clouds at high altitudes. Ground mists, especially
near the river, are encountered particularly in the winter
months.
In winter clouds hang very low, at 200 feet sometimes, and
on such occasions it is only possible to see ahead for three to
five miles, a source of difficulty when travelling at 70 miles
an hour.
The prevailing wind in summer blows from the north, and is
seldom strong enough to prevent flying.
Storms usually during April and May are, however, not
infrequent, and they are of sufficient violence to blow over
machines which may be unsheltered on the aerodrome.
CHAPTER IV.
Resources.
General. The Upper Euphrates area is essentially an
agricultural country, and possesses no manufacturing industries
on a large scale. The only other activities worthy of mention
are the production of bitumen and lime at Hit. The chief
exports consist of agricultural produce despatched to other
parts of Iraq or across the desert to Syria, but during the war
the demands of both the British and Turkish forces reduced
the export trade to a minimum, and the existence of a theatre
of war in this area caused a serious handicap to cultivation
from which the tribes have only just recovered. To-day,
however, there is a general atmosphere of progress in the area
under administration.
Labour. The possibility of raising labour corps for military
purposes in this area is surrounded by the usual difficulties
experienced in other parts of the country. Although there is
no shortage of labour as far as the actual population is con
cerned, the tribesman is disinclined to adopt any other form
of work than that of cultivator or shepherd, which he finds
sufficient for his support, with the minimum expenditure
of energy. Despite the fact that for several months of the
year those employed on cultivated land have little or nothing