'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [17r] (33/1386)
The record is made up of 1 file (687 folios). It was created in 1915-1918. 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. .
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Batten '^ 80 tlllgIai ’ 11 ' V,1K ' ,, Brigade and Commander will be sent; also, which Mountain
that they are destined 1 ' l “ maill i de1, of Division for desjiatch, hut with idea
lias ivached Sliatt-el-Ar:il> J "1" Secrecy Ciin he (iropped after leatling Bi-igade
■- Ofc, '/ifi l " < " rpiyciM- instrurtinn.s to-morrow as to action to lie taken.
„ I 'T slloakl snitahle for Shatt-el-Arab.
t.am, joa wilUdopt hxpedition -])" for description of this movement”
s,tu^,p le ^h o :i;: g 1 ^‘!;r ?! i,:ta ;- v s ';'"-c-, lmlm 0f,i - ik - ]is — 1 ^
Crowe) r m(] "flip \ 1 - i/ J^epaitnient, tlie Porei-n Office (Sir Kyre
E Shiie) l) ; O “r: T (A i lra , lral ‘ s !!' Jl - ««<l Vioe-Admin.1 Sir
following telegram < S " * ° f " ese <l '“ cnsslous ' Vi,s ^'ntodied in the
ni Steietaiy of State for India to \ iceroy. Army Department, dated
drd October 1914.
.. or" ll^l' 1 rivate. Ify ll:>4 Kxpedltion *■ I).”
is lie toTand tTops tl1 ’" We T " itl1 T “' k O -d on no account
witliout orders from you exeent h 'W' hoatifc action against Turks
convenient to do so 'either VbudmM ■! a V M> “"i ?,' 1, , tKry ,ie “ ss,t -' - He may disembark if
On tin's point, however he slionhl wm l- 1 '’ •' 1 " h “‘meral, but preferably at Abadan.
si endeavour „ avoid , , “ "' ,th - V »'» l «”' 1 Political authorities. He
PersiauorTuXh te^'rllo.v I ‘ <-oo*o Wctio.. with the Arabs either in
rupture with Tinker He'will f '' h '"' e l to ''Ji 1 -'' " ll the11 ' co-operation In the event of a
Itrilish intereslTinPersian terHliny ." 11 ^ 0 Ste l« 10 i >rotec 't the oil tanks and other
of action contemplated 8 so'that'neceswrv 1,1 ' var, | the Pnlilical Officers in Gulf
of M uhammerah amlKanveit and 'to^'tin S T''’ l"t' C , by “>«"> “ Sheikhs
previcus confidential intimatimt of approadw.f cx^lh'thn!"" 1 ' ^ ^
Bas.* K biJ e i',* , X^ < '’ ' h0 ’? d J 1 *.’ be wa ? M,d * ,,d directed to communicate with consul at
befoiv it reaches StoiwT-K"' ' “ lt ' ,lfol ' mat,on "^"'i-'g cxpcliti.m should leak out
" Admiralty fu>e instructing Naval Authorities
" ' '' U " nunie ating with Shakes pear and will telegraph further about his movements.”
- From Viceroy to Secretary of State to India, dated 3rd October 1914
•• H. 1285. Your 1134 of 3rd October.
Expedition ‘ A ’ cannot start until 12th October and may be delaved until 14th hn
some of its ships will have to be diverted to 6 th Division owim^o sho-Y.o-e of 1 ^ ’ b + uf
for Sim tt-el-Arab. VYe are sending l«th Brig. uTd^ iiefaliXwkf h^ ^eri"
Fmce n A. : Batteries will be t«rd and 80th. All will sail with
•‘We assume yon are sure that this advanced Brigade is strong enough for its puruosc
We cannot judge of this without knowing its instructions and objective. Do you intend’
that we should manage this expedition or do you mean to run it direct from
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.
? -
On the 4th October the Political Department a*ked the Resident at
Lushire to let Bin Saood know that Major Shakespear would visit him
eaily m November on behalf of the British Government. This message was
amplified on the 8th October, when India was informed that Major Shake
spear would sail for Bushire md Bombay on the 10th October as Political
• olheer on special duty. Me had instructions lo get into touch with Bin
Saood with a view (1) to securing Arab goodwill in the event of war with
lurkey and (^ preventing disturbances among Arabs as a result of our
proceedings. 1 he Government of India was asked meantime to let Bin
baood know through the Sheikh of Koweit that German influence was beim>-
used to entangle Knglaud, the traditional friend of Islam, with Turkev and
that we had consequently been obliged to take preeautionarv measures * It
was hoped that lie and Sheikh Mubarak would assist in the maintenance of
peace by using their influence not only with their own tribes but with Bin
Shu alum and the Sherd of Mecca. Major Shakespear was bein< r sent to
explain matters more fully, and meantime the Government relied on the
Sheikhs not to take any action.
“ From Secretary of State for India to Viceroy, Army Department,
dated 5th October 1914.
‘“No. 1158. Expedition D. Your H. 1285.
“ The force under orders is ouhj intended to occupy Abadan, protect oil tanks and pipe line cover
landuuj oj reinforcements, if these should be necessani, and show Arabs that we intend to support
them against Turks. With warship at Muhammerak troops detailed are considered ample for
above purposes. ‘ r *-
About this item
- Content
This file contains working drafts of confidential prints, correspondence and telegrams from the room of Sir Edmund Barrow, Military Secretary in 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. , collected for the Mesopotamian Commission which was convened to examine the causes of the besieging and surrender of the Indian Expeditionary Force in Kut-el-Amara [Al Kūt].
The papers cover a range of topics and include the following: General Townshend's assessment of the situation after the Battle of Kut-el-Amara; a précis of correspondence relating to the origins and development of the Mesopotamia expedition; and a collection (ff 396-399) of private telegrams between the Secretary of State for India and the Viceroy, prior to the outbreak of war with Turkey.
The file also includes some tables showing the strength of General Townshend's force at Ctesiphon (folio 111) as well as the Indian Expeditionary Force 'D' (In Mesopotamia) Troops of the 6th Poona Division (folio 114).
Correspondents include: General Sir John Nixon; Major-General Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend; the Viceroy of India; officials of the Admiralty; officials of the War Office.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (687 folios)
- Arrangement
The entries are recorded in chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 686; 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. Multiple additional mixed foliation/pagination sequences are present in parallel; these numbers are written in crayon and pencil; where they are written in pencil and circled, they are crossed through.
The file has one foliation anomaly, f 374A.
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'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM' [17r] (33/1386), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/5/768, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100116195928.0x000024> [accessed 31 January 2025]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/5/768
- Title
- 'PAPERS RELATING TO THE MESOPOTAMIAN COMMISSION from SIR E. BARROW'S ROOM'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:5v, 7r:89v, 91r:107v, 109r:130v, 131ar, 131r:134v, 135ar, 135ar, 135r:136v, 137ar, 137r:203v, 204ar, 204r:225r, 225ar, 225v:295v, 296ar, 296r:316v, 317ar, 317r:374v, 374ar:374av, 375r:405v, 406ar, 406r:562r, 562ar, 562v:623v, 624ar, 624r:686v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence