‘WAR DIARY. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, INDIA. […] I.E.F. “D”. Volume 14. PART II. (From 16th to 30th September 1915.)’ [‎69r] (142/276)

X77
Considering, for the present, the area of 87,500 acres to be developed first, the
cost of linking up the tidal system to the Euphrates barrage is estimated as
Rs.
. 18,00,000
. 10,00,000
. 2 , 00,000
. 14,00,000
Total . 44,00,000
Adding establishment and contingencies at 33 per cent, brings the cost up
tolls. 68,70,000 and increasing by 50 per cent to allow for interest and unfore-
T^\r C - barges gives a total COst of Es * 88,00,000. Items (a) and {b) are Sir
W. Willcocks’ figures. Item (c) has been included to allow for the cost of
embankments from the high desert to the head of the main canal and along the
Shatt-el-Arab between Gurmat Ali and Gurna. Item (d) is the cost
of the main canal of the dimensions proposed by Sir W. Willcocks.
The cost of the Basrah Canal in Sir W. Willcocks’ scheme has not been
included since it would not be necessary if the scheme were carried out in. the
manner suggested in this report. The total cost of the ultimate scheme to com
mand 87,500 acres would thus amount to Us. 88,00,000 plus. Rs. 42,00,000 or
Rs. 130,00,000, the incidence on one acre being about Rs 148. Sir W. Willcocks*
estimate of the cost of his preliminary scheme to irrigate 87,500 acres was
Rs. 71,00,000 but this figure did not include the cost of tidal sluices and retain
ing embankments and allowed only about Rs. 1,00,000 for drains. To make a
fair comparison with the present proposals it is necessary to increase his figure
by Rs. 4,00,000 for tidal sluices, Rs. 2,00,000 for cost of bunds and improve
ments to existing channels, Rs. 2,00,000 for the retaining embankments and
Rs. 4,00,000 for excess cost of the drainage system over Sir W. Willcocks’
allowance, or Rs. 12,00,000 in all. Adding this sum to Rs. 71,00,000 and in
creasing the total by 50 per cent, to allow for interest charges, etc., brings the
oost of Sir W. Willcocks’ scheme improved by the addition of tidal sluices on
jom§ of the existing creeks to Rs. 1,24,50,000 or only Rs. 5,50,000 short of
(a) Barrage . , . .
(b) Making up old Euphrates bank
(c) Retaining embankments •
(d) Main canal
the final estimated cost of the present proposals. Accepting for present pur
poses Sir W. Willcocks’ estimate of a net annual return of Rs. 6 per acre from
the barrage scheme the direct profits accruing from the final scheme would
amount to 4*05 per cent, of the capital outlay. If, then, irrigation were fully
extended to the whole area of 87,500 acres under consideration, and half flow
rates assessed on it, it would not pay to undertake the construction of the barrage
and main supply canal to convert lift into flow irrigation over this area alone
It is possible to determine the minimum area which must be brought within the
scope of the barrage scheme to obtain a net annual return of of per cent, in the
following manner. A net annual return of Rs. 6 per acre limits the capital
outlay to Rs. 104 per acre to pay 5f per cent. The items of cost which are
independent of the area taken up are:—
Rs.
Barrage ......
Making up old Euphrates bank .
Retaining embankment . •
. 18,00,000
. . . . 10,00,000
. 2,00,000
80,00,000
Establishment and Contingencies .
. 10,00,000
Total . 40,00,000
Interest and unforeseen charges .
. . . . 20,00,000
Grand total . 60,00,000
The cost of all other works may be roughly assumed as being directly pro
portional to the commanded area. It has been seen in paragraph 11 that the
cost of the irrigation and drainage channels and tidal sluices amounts to Rs. 48
per acre. The only remaining item is the main supply canal, of which the inci
dence of cost per acre on an area of 87,500 acres, allowing for establishment,
interest and contingent charges, amounts to 15xl g 7 > 50 (f Q ~~ 0=:= Es ’ l ^ 0
allow roughly for its necessary increase of capacity as well as of length, however,
fbft inmdono.ft nf fiost of thfi main oanal ean be taken at Rs. 40 per acre. The