Coll 17/4 'Iraq-Syria & Syria-Transjordan frontier: delimitation' [23v] (51/788)
The record is made up of 1 volume (386 folios). It was created in 1 Jun 1921-27 Oct 1932. It was written in English and French. 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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— 36 —
from the import duties on the manufactured wool and silks of
The other territories traversed by the frc
Tenf are desert, and hence of no economic n
the pastures of the Gaara, and of the mam ai
which has already been dealt with elsewhere.
4. Military Considerations.
(a) General Observations.
we tneieioit: letu jusliiicu. m ^0,00.1.11.5 —r . ,
the Jebel Sinjar and the Jebel Tenf, and concentrating our attention on the northern sector
A general geographical description of this region has been given already. It will be recalled
that the region in question is composed, from north to south, first of a relatively hilly sector,
then of a plain about fifty kilometres in breadth, studied with tells, and then of the very long
rocky chain of the Jebel Sinjar, rising to a height of 1,000 metres above this plain.
The northern sector is dominated at approximately its central point by the Qara ( hok Dagh.
This chain is the prolongation of that of the Jebel Bikhair, situated on the eastern bank of the Tigris.
One is therefore tempted to attach to these two groups, separated by the broad valley of the
Tigris, an equal military importance on either bank of the river, as an obstacle to an attack coming
from the north or south. A closer examination reveals, however, material differences. To the
east of the Tigris, the precipitous and rocky chain of the Jebel Bikhair forms a very serious and
uninterrupted natural obstacle, which would permit of easy defence. This is not the case as regards
the Qara Chok chain, to the west of the Tigris. Although several of its summits bear the name
Dagh (mountain), it has a much less mountainous character than the Jebel Bikhair, to the east
of the Tigris; only the massif of the Qara Chok Dagh, which falls perpendicularly on the south
east side, is practically unassailable, while the rest of the range is only a series of hills and plateaux
which can be crossed almost anywhere. The massif of the Qara Chok Dagh, which is only about
five kilometres long, can therefore be turned on the west and east. It thus constitutes less an
obstacle than a good observation-point. On the other hand, it must be recognised that the chain
of the Qara Chok Dagh possesses the natural advantages of a defensive zone offered by any region
where the relief of the watershed is sufficiently pronounced. It is probable that anyone having
to defend this region towards the north or south, apart from any political consideration, w r ould
preferably base his defence on the chain of the Qara Chok.
In the plain situated between this northern sector and the Jebel Sinjar, there is no zone
or line offering special interest from the military point of view.
The chain of the Jebel Sinjar, on the other hand, with its extensions, forms an extremely
powerful natural defence system. Its complete isolation and its numerous valleys and ravines
make it possible to conceal any movement of troops from the view of the enemy. Its excellent
observation-points and the lack of any cover in the neighbouring region would greatly facilitate
its defence. And even if an assailant gained a footing there, he would find it difficult to make
any progress, for the ground lends itself admirably to guerrilla warfare.
(c) Strategical Considerations.
The frontiers fixed by the Syro-Turkish agreements or laid down by the 1920 Convention
are not natural frontiers, except along a small part of the course of the Tigris. They take no
account of geographical and still less of military considerations. Chance has given this corner
About this item
- Content
Papers regarding negotiations to amend the borders between French-mandated Syria, and British-mandated Iraq and Trans-Jordan. The papers discuss the boundaries established by the Sykes-Picot Agreement and the Treaty of Sèvres, the British push for the inclusion of Amadiyah within the Iraq mandated territories, and the issue of tribal groups crossing border regions. The papers primarily consist of communications between the Foreign Office, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and the High Commissioner for Iraq, with occasional commentary from the 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. Political Department.
The file also contains copies of treaties, minutes and appendices from the Committee of Imperial Defence, Standing Sub-Committee for Questions Concerning the Middle East, and minutes and documents circulated by the Council of the League of Nations, including:
- Memorandum by the High Commissioner for Iraq, stating objections to the frontiers established by the Treaty of Sèvres, including two maps, ff 375-380.
- Minutes and appendices of the Foreign Office meeting of 13 July 1931, including copies of the Humphrys-Ponsot Draft for Combined Reference to the Council of the League of Nations, and a copy of the Agreement between HMG Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. and the French Government respecting the Boundary Lines between Syria and Palestine from the Mediterranean to El Hammé, Treaty Series No. 13 (1923), ff 315-349.
- Papers circulated at the Committee of Imperial Defence Sub-Committee meeting of 8 September 1931, including correspondence with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the Beirut formula, ff 238-314.
- Minutes of the Committee of Imperial Defence Sub-Committee meeting of 23 September 1931, including a sketch map of the Syria-Trans-Jordan frontier, and a report by the British Resident at Trans-Jordan, ff 141-209.
- Second report by Sir Francis Humphrys on his negotiations in Paris regarding the Syrian frontier, and annexes comprising draft agreements, ff 67-75.
- Excerpt minutes of the 65th Session of the Council of the League of Nations, 9 December 1931, including copies of the joint request for arbitration submitted by Britain and France, ff 48-66; plus minutes of the sessions on 31 October 1931, and 30 January 1932, ff 37-46.
- Copy of the League of Nations Mandate, Report of the Commission entrusted by the Council with the Study of the Frontier between Syria and Iraq, Geneva, 10 September 1932 (Official reference: C. 578. M. 285. 1932. VI), ff 6-28, which includes four maps (IOR/W/L/PS/12/2848 (i), IOR/W/L/PS/12/2848 (ii), IOR/W/L/PS/12/2848 (iii) and IOR/W/L/PS/12/2848 (iv)).
The volume includes a divider giving a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folio 4).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (386 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 388; 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. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel between ff 4-385; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.
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- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2848
- Title
- Coll 17/4 'Iraq-Syria & Syria-Transjordan frontier: delimitation'
- Pages
- 6r:28v, 30r:30v, 32r:35v, 37r:46v, 49r:54v
- Author
- League of Nations
- Copyright
- ©United Nations Archives at Geneva
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- Creative Commons Non-Commercial Licence