'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎117r] (238/470)

(E) Customs. -Customs duties were collected earlier in the y&ar on imports
of tobacco, but after the prohibition of future direct imports and the diversion of
this traffic to Baghdad customs receipts ceased.
There are no other sources of customs at present.
(F) Compensation. All claims for compensation in the Division have been
small, which is noteworthy considering that military operations have taken place
on a large scale and speaks well for the troops taking part in the operations.
All claims have been investigated with despatch and the rapiditv with which
all just claims have been settled has had a good political effect.
3. Irrigation. There have been three noteworthy irrigation works carried out
in the Dulaim Division during the past year.
Ramadi.- The ‘Aziziyah Canal has been deepened by tribal labour and a
regulator built near the mouth. This has opened up the whole of the Tash flow
lands, which are all Sanniyah, for cultivation.
With the Habbaniyah Lake at its present low level, a large area is available
for cultivation; but how much will be available if the lake is used as a storage
reservoir is not certain.
The ‘Aziziyah Canal was reopened on the 10th of November 1918.
Fallujah .—The existing Abu Ghuraib Canal has been thoroughly cleared out
and, where necessary, levelled and deepened. It is an important canal, watering
a considerable area both in Fallujah, Kadhimain and Baghdad districts. The
land it feeds is Sanniyah land, and consequently it is highly remunerative to keep
the canal in good repair.
The Turks had not excavated it well, and in places rock outcrops had to be
removed to keep the level. Its present condition is infinitely better than it has
ever been before. This fact is fully realised by the local inhabitants. The work
has been carried out free by tribal labour supplied almost entirely by the Zoba‘ in
Fallujah district. These did not need much pressure to keep them on the work,
and worked very well throughout. The canal was opened on the 25th November,
ensuring ample time for this winter’s crops’ cultivation.
The second and largest scheme has been the cutting of a large, deep-feeder
channel from the Euphrates in T.C. 100B, square s. 34 central, to the depression
running into the old Saqlawiyah Canal, N.E. of it.
This will bring the Saqlawiyah Canal into cultivation again, eventually making
it capable of watering 250,000 acres of remarkably rich soil, 40,000 acres of which
will be perennial.
Tribal holdings are shown on the attached map.
The feeder channel is a fine piece of work, and the Saqlawiyah will be one of
the largest canals opened in ‘Iraq this year. The labour supplied has been entirely
tribal, composed of the tribes actually intending to cultivate from the canal. These
are the Jumailah (who have continually supplied their full share of labour and have
done the lion’s share of the excavation), the Zoba‘, the Halabsah and the Muhamdah.
At the present time the area of irrigated land in the Division is sufficient for the
whole population.
4. Agriculture.— Agriculture in that part of the Division which was in our
occupation at the beginning of this year was hampered by scarcity of early rain
during the winter and by an abnormally low river-level during the summer. Owing
to the proximity to the Turkish lines little encouragement could be given to the
cultivators in the forward areas.
The price of all grains in the Turkish area was far higher than that prevailing
in our lines and there was a great temptation to the tribal cultivators to run grain
through up-stream to get the better price. The seed advances issued last year
proved a failure, either because the seed was eaten and not planted or was poor.
This year the plan has been adopted of providing seed for sale. During the
past year the Arabs have earned plenty of money and most of them are in a
position to purchase their seed requirements.
Mention has been made that the Euphrates emerges from the hills just below
Hit. From the northern boundary to this point the only flat river plain suitable
for planting cereals is in the vicinity of Al Qaim. Through the remainder of the
gorge the river is flanked by narrow strips of none too fertile soil, varying in breadth
from ten to three or four hundred yards.
The river running through this gorge varies its course very little from year
to year. The bed is rock and the current more rapid than in the lower reaches.