'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II' [101r] (201/274)
The record is made up of 1 file (135 folios). It was created in 3 Dec 1917-24 Jun 1918. 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
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
(c) b^iculcl tho proposod alibninent be approved, need for
railway will not- become unt-il ^irgenb unt-il enemy* if railway
progress improves. Until that occurs freight material
and labour- and railway personnel should be saved for more urgent
needs. (d) V/hile Freeland's opinion is strengthened by that of
experts on the spot I would likd to point out: (1) that it
quite possible the time required to Improve the whole Amarah
Baghdad line will be available. (2) that the Kut-el-Amarah
Baghdad line- was laid down without endangering the supply
of the force • Since then the increase? to rail communication
and to the riveir fleet up the Tigris have more than kept pace with
tho expansion cf the force. (3) that the estimated extent of
restriction of river traffic' by the transfer from bank to bank
et Amarah is not knmvn horcr but it should be possible to minimise
it by making suitable arrange me ate for transfer.. In short the
through Tigris lino appears to have been discarded ’without
aufficicnt regard to its strategical advantages.
In my next cipher the administrative problem will bo
ventilated in which I shall,indicate the heavy tax to which
our resources will be subjected in personnel and material of a very
Tarled character by tho proposal which is now submitted for
your approval.
M -0. Copies to:— , ^ ^ f - u
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C. I . Gr . S .
b. C. I. G. S.
d.m. o.
About this item
- Content
The file, marked secret, contains correspondence and notes regarding rail and river transportation in Mesopotamia [Iraq] during the First World War. The papers cover several matters, including:
- The construction, conversion, maintenance, and expansion of the railways in the region, including regular progress reports from the Director of Railways, Baghdad
- Military operations targeting the Turkish railways in Palestine
- Planning and progress of the Mesopotamia Transport Commission
- Supply of railway materials, rolling stock, and personnel
- Postwar railway policy in India and Mesopotamia
- The question of substituting oil fuel for coal supply in river and rail transport.
Correspondents include: the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Egypt; the Chief of Imperial General Staff; Director of Railways, Baghdad; the War Office; the Commander-in-Chief, Army Headquarters, India; the Major General Sir Henry Francis Edward Freeland, Chairman of the Mesopotamia Transport Commission; the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Mesopotamia; the Chief of the General Staff, India; the Director General of Movements and Railways, War Office; and the Assistant Director of the Inland Water Transport, Mesopotamia.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (135 folios)
- Arrangement
The file is arranged in chronological order, from the rear to the front.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 137; 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; these numbers are written in coloured crayon.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II' [101r] (201/274), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/5/788, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100098484044.0x000002> [accessed 16 July 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/5/788
- Title
- 'Railways Mesopotamia and L of C [Lines of Communications] Policy, Vol. II'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:136v, back-i, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence
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