'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎32r] (68/470)

cultivation. The Saffah Canal, which takes off from the foot of the Hillah Canal,
has been deepened; no other works of any importance have been undertaken by the
Irrigation Department. Excluding a few hundred acres watered by springs in the
Shamiyah district, practically all the irrigation in the Division is done by means
of charads and pumping engines (there are 22 of the latter), but the falling of the
water level has made this a difficult and costly business, and it is highly important
that efforts should be made to raise the water level. To effect this, two alternative
schemes have been proposed. The first is the building of a dam across the ‘Atshan
near its mouth, below A1 Gharab village; this would raise the water level in the
Saqlawiyah Canal. The Assistant Irrigation Officer, Samawah, is considering the
scheme, and will submit a report on its practicability in due course. The second
scheme is one which has the support of all the influential landholders in the Division.
It consists of a proposal to build in a “ sud ” or barrage on the Daghfiliyah (Sabil)
about 10 miles above Chamchah. It is said that this would raise the level of the
whole river right up to the rapids, and so bring under irrigation 1,00,000 misharas of
land of which at present no use is made. In the time of the Turks, a bund was
actually built at this spot by four of the Sarkals; but it was not strong enough to
withstand the flow of water, and it was washed away again in a couple of days.
Still, the fact that these Sarkals, who are present authorities on the subject of
irrigation, were willing to sink money in such an experiment, shows their strong
belief in the utility of the scheme. It is asserted by the Arabs that navigation
would proceed along the ‘Atshan branch of the river. I do not know how far this
scheme is workable, but I intend to ask the Irrigation Department and the I.W.T.
to report on it. If ib is approved by them, the only objection that could be urged
would be that the Military Posts at Wa‘ar would be left more or less high and dry;
and, of course, that point would have to be taken into consideration before any final
decision is made.
Another irrigation scheme which will have to be considered in the near future
is the improvement of the old Abu Dibis Canal which takes off from the Mash kail
River near Kharun and ends near Chamchah. It is said that this canal and its
offshoots could irrigate some 10,000 misharas of land.
6. Agricultural. —The Division has great agricultural possibilities, and in
the past it was famed for its great grain output. With the improvement of irrigation
facilities it wall undoubtedly regain its former prosperity, as the soil is magnificent.
The crops at present grown are barley, wheat, rice, dukhn, mash, simsim, and
lobeya; vegetables are plentiful in and about Samawah. There is a scarcity of
plough animals in the Division, and it is hoped that the Agricultural Department
will be able to help us in the matter. I strongly recommend the posting of an
Agricultural Officer to the Division.
7. Municipalities. —Samawah, Rumaithah, and Shinafiyah have munici
palities managed by a Rais. All are on a sound financial basis, and are self-
supporting. These municipalities are all, more or less, in their infancy, and it has
not been thought advisable to hurry things; but the cleanliness and health of the
town are carefully looked after, and the latrines and incinerators have been
constructed. In some cases it has been found difficult to procure sweepers, but
that difficulty is being gradually overcome. It is not easy to interest the towns
people in the running of the municipalities, but I hope that this will come in time,
and that we shall soon have properly constituted town councils. At present I fear
that the people regard our passion for cleanliness and sanitation rather as a freakish
whim, to be humoured but not to be encouraged.
8. Judicial. —The great majority of judicial cases which come up before
Political Officers are civil claims for the recovery of loans and petitions for divorce.
These cases when not dealt with summarily by the Political Officers, are usually
settled with the help of arbitrators in accordance with Mohammadan law. The
only two criminal cases of importance were taken up during the year. In one a
certain Shanawah and accomplices were accused of murdering two merchants
from Najd in Shinafiyah; this case was settled by Capt. Goldsmith, Political Officer,
Samawah, and Capt. Fletcher. The accused was fined and paid blood money.
In the second, the sentence of death passed by the Political Officer on Jasim ibn
Muhammad, of A1 ‘Ajib tribe, for the murder of Sultan ibn Jabbar, was commuted
by G.O.C.-in-Chief (Explanatory Memo., Appendix 2, attached). Otherwise there