'Reports of administration for 1918 of divisions and districts of the occupied territories in Mesopotamia. Volume I' [‎186v] (377/470)

they have been accustomed to get for many years; and it is quite possible that
the Azairij also will receive a proportion of water where they have had none for
many years. In any case the major part of Khafajah country, desert for so many
years, should recover its old fertility. The effect for good on this tribe will be of the
best. In the past they have been forced to accept one of two courses : (1) to emigrate,
or (2) to remain on their tribal lands and support themselves by 7 lobbery and
violence.
The majority accepted (2) and one cannot blame them; ratliei 1 think must
one admire men who from sheer love of their tribal lands preferred to stick to them
though reduced to an absolute desert waste and themselves beggared. I he comple
tion of the scheme in the autumn of 1919 ought, with reasonable luck, to bring
similar prosperity back to the Azairij and A1 Ibrahim tribes. From a revenue point
of view the scheme should repay Government very easily, and is of the kind which
does more than anything else to raise our prestige among the Arabs.
Scheme (b). —Euphrates-Khamisiyah canal has been completed. It was started
and completed by the Shaikh of Khamisiyah chiefly by loans made him by
Government. The work being finished, the D.I.O. has stepped in and paid over
the sum of Rs. 22,500/- to Shaikh Hamad. Government has thus bought out
Shaikh Hamad’s rights to the canal, which will advantage him greatly. Khamisiyah
should enter on a new period of prosperity now.
Scheme (c). —Work on this scheme is in full progress and will effectually put
Nasiriyah out of reach of floods from the breaking of its river banks, as used to
happen so often in Turkish times. In conjunction with this work, the TXI.O has
taken full controi of the whole system of Government protection round Nasiriyah.
Scheme (d). —This is a very large scheme indeed and, when completed, should be
one of the first magnitude.
It should rightly be divided into three separate works :—
(1) The complete dredged channel from Bani Hutait to Bani Sa'id.
(2) The provision of a permanent bund along the southern edge of the
channel above high flood level. This bund to be run along the top of the
spoil excavated from the dredged channel.
(3) The building of the Ghabishiyah-Chabaish protective bund.
The scheme in its entirety will practically mean Nasir Pasha’s scheme over
again, properly constructed and on sound engineering lines. %
(1) has been finished, with the exception of about half a mile.
(2) has just been started under D.l.O.’s supervision.
(3) it is hoped to take in hand during autumn of 1919.
The advantages to be gained from the above will be :—
(1) A deep water channel fit for river steamers will be obtained all the
year round across the shallow Hammar Lake. Trade will be enormously
benefitted. Lastly, but almost more important than anything else, the
political effect on the wild tribes of Suq and Hammar will be incalculable.
Already an incredible change has come over the local tribesmen. This is
directly due to the new water way and the astonishment and wonder with
which the dredgers are looked upon. The fact that a brand new river, over
160 feet broad and 11 feet deep and some 25 miles long, has been made by
the “ Inglis ” in so short a time has not only filled the marshmen with awe,
but has given them an idea of Britain’s might more than anything else could
have conveyed. Already we see a direct effect. The tribes have allowed
the date-trees of Suq to be counted, and they have accepted the imposition
of a full date and rice revenue without a murmur. Four years ago, if the
Turks had been told this would happen, they would have laughed at the
suggestion.
(2) This bund will effectually prevent the excavated spoil falling back
into the dredged channel at high water season, and when storms on the lake
raise waves. The bund will also form part of the scheme for the eventual
irrigation system which will be developed on the south side of it.
(3) This work should, when completed, convert what is now a desolate
marsh and no-man’s land into one of the richest wheat-growing areas in
Mesopotamia. At a rough guess some 500,000 acres of land will be reclaimed.