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File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [81r] (172/586)
The record is made up of 1 volume (289 folios). It was created in 15 Nov 1920-31 Oct 1921. 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.
t /' T fe e Ami ( r , ^ aid wil1 be installecl as ruler of Eastern Palestine, east of
Jordan.—From Al Baiyan.
5. England intervenes in favour of peace between Turks and Greeks.
6. Quoting from the Baiyan. The Amir Faisal will return to the Hiiaz
to submit to his father what has been settled about the Arab Question.
Al
Fallah
Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour.
No. 11, July 14.
1. Long account of the projected visit of the Amir to the Mustansariyah
with a history of the place.
2. Corrects the news given on the previous day about the return of Faisal
to the Hijaz.
Fact and Imaginations.
3. Describes a visit to the Government school in Karkh. Says the
scholars were most industrious but that they did not look well and this was owing
to the fact that the school was too small and was not a fit place. The head
master is obliged to refuse pupils for want of room.
Writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
suggests a place
near the tram station which was formerly a school and is now a municipal office.
What is Happening in Syria.
4. Copied from the Baiyan. Describes formation of parties in America
for the liberation of Syria.
5. Speech of General Gouraud in Paris in which he said that the Syrian
people was the nation which loved France most. The
writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
comments through
out unfavourably and says at the end that the General’s speech is all untrue.
Adds that there is now no public security in Lebanon and Syria.
6. Roman papers say that the Italian troops should not be withdrawn
from Adalia as long as hostilities between Greeks and Turks continue. England
will not help the Greeks.
Al Dijlah No. 7, July 2.
What the Government op ‘Iraq Should be.
1. Insisting on the necessity of the Government being in accordance with
the spirit of the country. The country has not altered its ancient ways of
thought. Such a country will not consent to accept anything but an adminis
tration which follows a clear national programme. It must be supported by
genuine natives of the country and must be in touch with world interests so as
to preserve political balance. It will then gain public opinion and ensure
smooth progress to independence.
Faisal King op ‘Iraq.
2. We have heard people calling out “ Long Live Faisal, King of ‘Iraq ”
and others swearing allegiance to him saying Stretch out your hand. ou
are King of Iraq.’*
Al Dijlah No. 8, July 3.
Duties op ‘ Iraqis.
made by the anti-Zionist reports in the issue of June
The Dijlah and Allegiance.
waters criticize us
previous issue statinj
is: I am but one ol „
2. We learn fi
About this item
- Content
This volume contains the Intelligence Reports of Sir Percy Cox, High Commissioner for Mesopotamia [also written as Iraq in this volume], based in Baghdad, covering the period 15 November 1920 to 15 September 1921. They largely relate to: the political situation in Mesopotamia and the surrounding region; the formation and proceedings of the provisional government; the events leading up to the creation of Mandatory Iraq [also known as the Kingdom of Iraq under British Administration] and the election and appointment of Faisal [Fayṣal bin Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī] as the first King of Iraq [Fayṣal I].
The Intelligence Reports are numbered and appear to have been issued at two-week intervals. This volume contains the reports numbered 1-3, 9-19 and 21. There is no explanation in the volume regarding the reason for the absent reports. The format of the reports is a mixture of printed and copy typescript. Each report is preceded by a covering circular issued by the office of the High Commissioner indicating the British Government departments and the officers and departments in the Middle East to which the report was copied.
Report Nos. 1-3 are preceded by an assessment of the political situation described in the Intelligence Report, written by Major R Marrs.
The reports generally comprise the following sections:
- A summary of the report (from report No. 14 onwards only)
- An account of the proceedings of the Council of Ministers
- Analysis of current public opinion and allegiances, (notably an analysis of public opinion on the Amir [Emir] Faisal and his arrival in Mesopotamia, including a reference to his 'personal magnetism', f 88), in report Nos 16-19
- Notes on provincial affairs
- Notes on the situation at the frontiers
- Extracts of 'Iraq Police Abstracts of Intelligence' (reports No. 9-14 only).
Other subjects notably covered in various reports include:
- Assyrian, Armenian and Urumiyan [Urmian] refugees (report Nos. 2 and 19)
- Perceived foreign influences in Iraq (report Nos. 2 and 3)
- The withdrawal of Saiyid [Sayyid] Talib Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. [Sayyid Ṭālib bin Rajab al-Naqīb] from the Government and Baghdad (report No. 12)
- Kurdistan (report Nos. 12-14)
- Turkish and Kurdish Frontiers (report No. 12)
- Dair al Zor [Deir ez-Zor] (report Nos. 1 and 12)
- Notes on 'Internal Affairs' (Nos. 18 and 19)
- Analysis of the referendum result which confirmed the election of Faisal as Iraq's first monarch (report No. 19)
- The formation of King Faisal's first cabinet (report No. 21).
Appendices are included with some reports, usually comprising copies of the High Commissioner's proclamations or communications 'to the people of Iraq' or documents relevant to the particular report (notably 'Provisional scheme for the re-organisation of the law courts' and 'Report of the committee constituted for studying the irrigation problem in Mesopotamia' in report No. 9).
Each report is concluded with a Supplement or Press Bureau Report, comprising extensive summaries and extracts of newspaper articles published in the local and 'foreign' (local region mainly) press. Notable publications cited are: Al 'Iraq , Al Fallah Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. , Al Dijlah , and (Syrian publication) Lissan al 'Arab.
The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (front of the volume).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (289 folios)
- Arrangement
The reports are arranged mostly in numerical/chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume. Report No. 18 is followed by Report No. 21 and then Report No. 19 which is the last report in the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 284; 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. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the two leading and two ending flyleaves. The sequence contains one foliation anomaly: f 267a.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/962
- Title
- File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS'
- Pages
- 97r, 80v:81r, 69r:70r, 53r, 18v:19v
- Author
- Al Fallah xx Fallah
- Usage terms
- Public Domain
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/962
- Title
- File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS'
- Pages
- 98r:99r, 81r:83v, 67v:69r, 52r:53r, 17v:18v
- Author
- Al Dijlah
- Usage terms
- Public Domain