'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎69v] (143/470)

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a known number of men turning out a known number of cubic metres for a given
and calculated period, there is no doubt that, in many cases, the quickest way to
get a given work finished is by one or more “ faza‘s.”
Regulation of Water Supply. —The regulation of the water level of the Euphrates
at the Barrage so as to meet the requirements of the varied districts, was a matter
of some difficulty.
The Hillah Branch has an open head and during the cultivation season the
only means of regulating the water level in it was by raising or lowering the shutters
in the Barrage. Thus it happened on several occasions that loss of crop was
occasioned in Musaiyib and Hindiyah through the lowering of the river level to
suit the requirements of the more important Hillah Branch.
During the rice season also, when the water level was low, and every district
needed a full supply simultaneously, it was impossible to meet all requirements,
ft is most important that the distribution of the available water should be carefully
worked out in the light of experience gained and timely intimation given to Political
Officers so that cultivators may be duly warned of the area which they may cultivate.
Distribution of Water. —A very important question is involved in the distribution
of water from the larger canals. The irrigation engineer is naturally anxious to see
every drop of water fulfil its function, and to prevent waste; this can only be attained
by regulation of the supply not only in the larger canals, but in the smaller channels,
until, in fact, the water reaches the crop which it is to irrigate. But this again
demands a large number of subordinates, and subordinates of the only one type
likely to be available for some time cannot be trusted not to take advantage of the
golden opportunities which will present themselves.
The subject is one on which differences of opinion exist, but I am very strongly
of the opinion that it is sounder to leave the distribution from all, except the main,
canals almost entirely to the Arabs themselves, even at a cost of a certain amount
of waste to start with, rather than to entrust it to subordinates who will certainly
involve our administration in a great deal of odium.
More than one Assistant Political Officer has remarked on the vagaries of the
underlings of the Irrigation Department ; to a large extent occurrences of this nature
were inevitable in this the first year of our occupation, but it is of the first importance
to guard against their recurrence.
It is not out of place to quote one instance in order to show the dangers that
have to be guarded against.
One of the leading Shaikhs of the Division has land at the tail of a certain canal,
higher up the same canal is a tapu property belonging to rich Jews. The Irrigation
Official in charge of this section was also a Jew. Water was insufficient to save all
the crops irrigated by the canal. The Shaikhs’ winter crops—an area of about
150 acres—almost entirely perished.
The Assistant Political Officer took the matter up with the District Irrigation
Officer, who personally interested himself in the case and made arrangements to
ensure a sufficient supply of water to the Shaikh’s summer crops. These, however,
also perished for lack of water. The Arab, who is a shrewd observer, attributes
the result to the fact that, firstly, it is impossible for a British Officer to superintend
personally all the activities of his subordinates, and that, secondly, blood is thicker
than water.
Relations of Political and Irrigation Officers. —The functions of the officer who
brings the water to the land and of the officer who assesses and collects the
Government revenues therefrom are so intimately related that it is impossible to
say where one ends and the other begins, and the due regulation of their mutual
relations is a matter of the greatest importance.
During the past year, while in some districts nothing could have exceeded
the cordiality of the relations between the two departments, in others there were
unfortunate differences of opinion as to their mutual functions. Subordinates
are quick to take their cue from their superiors in such matters, and such differences
of opinion however honest on both sides, undoubtedly occasion a loss of efficiency
111 working of the administrative machinery. As has been remarked, in the present
condition of the country, it is impossible clearly to mark the dividing line between the
two departments, and the only arrangement which is likely to lead to smooth
working of the administration is to recognise the Political Officer as administrative
head of his division or district, and the Irrigation Officer as his technical adviser.