'Field Notes on Lower Mesopotamia' [‎30r] (66/112)

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CHAPTER YI.
Maritime.
Turkish naval strength. —The only' Turkish war-
ship of any importance in the Shatt-al-Arab is the
“ Marmaris ”, a gunboat of about 420 tons. She
was completed in 1907, and is armed with four O-prs.j,
two 1-prs., and a torpedo tube above water.
f In April 1914 four patrol boats, one of wood and
three of iron, of a gross tonnage of 30 to 33 tons each ?
were landed at Basrah by the SS. u Sistan They
were made by Thorneycroft and Co., and fitted with
two paraffin oil motors of 140 horse power. Bach
boat carried two 37 m. m. guns, and cost about
£45,000. 4,000,000 rounds of common point fuse
shell, Mark II, fused for the 37 m. m. guns were also
sent.
Other vessels of various types are to be found in
the Shatt-al-Arab in various stages of disrepair.
These are as follows :—
{i) “ Baghdadi ”, converted cargo steamer.
Draught 3J feet, one gun, 8 knots speed.
Carries 81 to 100 men. Used to transport
troops between the various ports on the
^ banks of the river.
(ii) “ Alous ”, draught 3J feet. Two guns.
Carries 60 to 80 men .Speed 6 knots. Used
to overawe the Arabs and collect subsidies.
(in) “ Kilid-el-Bahr ”, an ancient gunboat, per
manently located at Basrah. Four guns.