'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [159r] (322/470)
The record is made up of 1 volume (231 folios). It was created in 1919. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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QURNAH DIVISION.
Administration Report: Qurnah Division.
1. Political and Tribal.— The tribes of the Qurnah Division, with three
exceptions, are all in the Ahl al Jazair confederacy. These three exceptions are
Dair, Nashwah, and Suwaib; but, even of these, Dair and Suwaib are so closely
connected with the confederacy as almost to be regarded as members of it. Whether
the Albu Salih, under Badr al Rumaiyidh, which are now included in the Nasiriyah
Division, belong actually to the Ahl al Jazair is at present a moot point, but they
are claimed as members by the other Ahl al Jazair shaikhs. If Albu Salih are
not Ahl al Jazair, then the whole confederacy in included in this Division, and the
western boundary of the Division in the Hammar Lake marks the boundary between
the Ahl al Jazair and the Bani Khaiqan. The boundaries of the Division have
been finally decided during the year, and are as under
Eastern Boundary, from Pillar No. 14 on the Turco-Persian line to a point
3 miles north of parallel 31*15 North long.
Northern Boundary, from this point runs almost due West along the boundary
between Albu Muhammad and Bani Malik lands to the river, which it reaches
\ mile below Ezra’s Tomb. It runs diagonally across the river and leaves it
| mile above the Tomb. From there it follows the same tribal boundary to a
point about 2 miles south of Saiqal.
Eastern Boundary. —Due south from this point past Al-‘Abid (included) to
Hammar (Bani Hutait), where it runs through the middle of the village. Thence
it passes south of Mukabbah, and west of Tbadah (following the Albu Shamah and
Bani Hutait tribal boundary) in a south-westerly direction across the lake. From
the high-water mark of the lake southwards to Luqait station (excluded).
Southern Boundary. —From Luqait Station (excluded) along the northern edge
of the Basrah-Nasiriyah Railway to Rumailah Station (excluded), thence to ‘Aluwi
(excluded) and north-east through the marsh fro Nahr Shudhail, the northern
boundary of the Nahr ‘Umar estate, and down this Nahr to the river. The line
runs diagonally across the river to the mouth of the Nahr Abu Gharab and follows
the existing boundary between Nashwah and Zuraiji along the Abu Gharab, the
Urman Canal and the Abu Tabar Channel, until it reaches the desert, where it goes
in a straight line to No. 14 boundary pillar.
The division has not yet been divided into districts, but it is proposed to do
so as soon as another political officer is available. The new officer will be in charge
of the Hammar district, which will include Ibadah, Bani Musharraf, Bani Hutait,
Al Husaini, and Chabaish, and will have its headquarters at Bani Hutait.
It will, perhaps, be best to take each Nahiyah separately and note on each.
(1) Sakhrichah. —This Nahiyah runs along both banks of the Tigris from
Ezra’s Tomb inclusive to Nahr ‘Ajaimi, where it joins the Nuhairat Nahiyah. It
contains the Bani Malik tribe, who live between Nahr Ajaimi and Sakhrichah,
the Albu Bukhit, Bait Haddad, and one small section of the Al Fartus. These
tribes all live on the right bank of the river. On the left bank there are only two
small settlements, one at Al Khidhr at the mouth of the Rot ah Canal, and Silk
Humaiyun south of the Rotah Canal. These two settlements are composed of
a mixture of tribes, who cultivate the lands round their settlements. They own
allegiance to no big shaikh, but are under the authority of theii \ illage headman.
The Bani Malik were originally nominally under Shaikh Malzum, but he never
appears to have had much control over any but his own section of the tube, and
finally there remained three definite sections, each under its own head. It was
found impossible to deal with these other sections through Shaikh Malzum, and
so in September 1917 Muhammad Nuri, an ex Turkish official, was appointed Mudir.
He at first showed signs of capability, and appeared to be doing well; but later
fell away, and there was more than a suspicion that he had been mixed up with
robberies of supply trains, and he was accordingly dismissed in February 1918,
About this item
- Content
The volume comprises annual reports and administration reports, submitted by Political Officers, for the following divisions in occupied Mesopotamia [Iraq]: Samara; Ba'qubah; Khaniqin [Khānaīqn]; Samawah; Shamiyah [Shāmīyah]; Hillah; Dulaim [Anbar]; Basrah; Qurnah; 'Amarah [Al 'Amārah]; Kut; Nasiriyah; Kirkuk; and the Kuwait Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. [Kuwayt].
The administration reports often include details under the following headings: tribal and political boundaries; revenue; irrigation; agriculture; industry; municipalities; judicial; education; medical and sanitation; housing; police; jails; Shabanahs; labour; Waqf; establishment and personnel. They often contain appendices, providing statistical tables, special reports, notes on prominent personalities, lists of ruling Shaikhs, and details of court cases and prisoners.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (231 folios)
- Arrangement
A table of contents can be found at page 2 (folio 2v).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 233; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence (445pp, including maps and tables).
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/250
- Title
- 'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:232v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence