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File 4722/1918 Pt 8 'Mesopotamia: Situation' [215v] (441/995)
The record is made up of 1 volume (491 folios). It was created in 28 Jun 1920-11 Feb 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
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- - - -
18
/'o//?, 1 —-Provision ol ears to district and dlepartmieijital officers for toiaring
purposes in districts.
The progress of the Arab- Government will not I thinh greatly affect the
-demand for mechanical transport and I strongly recommend that recruitment
•continue.
This particular demand came under my close personal scrutiny and that
•of Finance Secretary before it was passed.
Telegram—Cypher Clear Line. •
From—Civil Commissioner, Baghdad.
To—India Office, repeated Foreign r Simla.
No. 89*72.
Bated 25th July, 19*20*.
My telegram of 21st July, 8785'.
The question arises to whom we should hand over Mosul in event of with
drawal. In justice to the inhabitants w-e should not I think allow our conduct
in this matter to be determined entirely by prematurely conceived hopes of an
Arab Government in these parts. If we were to hand them back to Turkish
Government not only could worse forms of anarchy probably be prevented, but
popular ©pinion in Mosul area which is hostile to- idea of Arab) Government and
entirely sceptical as to possibility of such a thing, would accept the change
without very serious disorder, and peaceful evacuation might be possible.
How far the same applies to other portions of Mesopotamia is premature
to say, but if and when Cabinet do decide to cut their losses in Mesopotamia
I hope the possibility of restoring Turkish suzerainty will not be forgotten.
I think it offers the best hope of saving something from the wreck.
It is unthinkable that we should simply clear out and leave these people
to wallow in the anarchy of our own creating, and I judge it infinitely prefer
able that we should hand over even to Mustapha Kama! or Yasin
Pasha
An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders.
. A
dignified handing over to the Turks might d©) much to: neutralize' effect in India
of our evacuation.
MESOPOTAMIA.
OiUE COMMITMENTS UN BEE THE MANBATE.
A Too Gjseat Attempt.
? O' the Eflkto-)- o.Jr the Time*..
Sir,—B y constantly drawing attention to our adventure in Mesopotamia
and to our financial commitments in that dreary land, you are undoubtedlr per-
iwmiBg a seyv,« to the British taxpayer, and it is to he- hoped that in tie he
wilt be Niifheiently educated e-n the subject to realize that it is frem his poetets
the money is heme tahen to pay for an army in order to protect a co-mtrv
-against itself, for that is really what it means.
In September last I contributed to your columns a series of articles on the
eio iomic development of Mesopotamia, and they evoked considerable comment
and some criticism; but in the light of a good deal of additional information
I believe my conclusions were .sound, and if I re-wrote the articles to-dav my
views would remain unchanged. It is- certain that we are no nearer making
the administration float m an economic sense/" to quote Mr. Churchill, and
there are no signs of our being able greatly to reduce the' Army and depend
upon aeroplanes, armoured cars, and tanks. " J
1 have read, with interest Lord Islington’s
■of May 2 S, also your various leading articles on
bring forward a few points for discussion.
Lord Islington obseives —„ —„ —«-.«««*«j» ^a-wc-juui, jui jiauanraiiJiy ea
out, introduces an alien guidance, as far as possible free' from interference wim
the national method of government, and that any system suggesting an analogy
muth. ©nr Protectorates or Crown Colonies would raise stron —"
_ _ in your issue
ie subject,- and 1 venture tot
mandatory system, if faithfully carried
goes on to say that notliing can be of more vital importance than that proper
constitutional procedure should be followed in countries where the mandatory
system is to be set up, and he asks, firstly, whether the present form of adminis
tration m Mesopotamia Can be regarded as consistent with the conception of a
mandate; secondly, if it is a system of government which is likely to be per
manently acceptable to the Arab community in Mesopotamia
whether the British Exchequer can find f unds tor meet the annual
•entailed.
About this item
- Content
The volume consists of correspondence, memoranda, drafts, and departmental notes relating to rebellion against British mandatory rule in Mesopotamia [approximately corresponding to present-day Iraq], later known as the Iraqi Revolt of 1920.
The volume covers the period from the start of unrest in May 1920 to British imposition of control in October of the same year. The majority of the volume comprises reports from political officers across Mesopotamia on the situation in their respective divisions and districts.
Other matters discussed within the volume include:
- The suspected causes of the uprising, including fears of ‘Bolshevik’ and pro-Turkish influence
- Settlement of the border between Syria and Mesopotamia
- Military strategy and operations, including the need for reinforcements
- The severing of British lines of communication, particularly rail
- The efficacy and principles of the use of armoured cars and air raids as means of control following numerous cases of misidentification and disproportionate force that resulted in the deaths and injuries of innocent people
- Political and civil policy in the region
- Identification and arrest of some of the leaders of the rebellion
- The prominence of events in Mesopotamia in the British press
- The question of disarming the tribes following the suppression of the rebellion.
Principal correspondents include officials at: 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. ; the Office of the Civil Commissioner in Mesopotamia (from November 1920, the High Commissioner); the War Office; General Headquarters of the military in Mesopotamia; and the Government of India, Foreign and Political and Army departments.
The volume contains cuttings from several publications, including: The Times , The Statesman , The Observer , The Daily Herald , The Daily Mail , The Baghdad Times , and The Near East .
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 back of the correspondence. A second divider is included, for File 4722/1918 Part 7, entitled ‘Mesopotamia: Sir A. Wilson’s invitation to Syrian Baghdadis’. This was transferred to File 5268/20 Parts 1 and 2 (see IOR/L/PS/10/913).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (491 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged in approximate chronological order, from the rear to the front.
The subject 4722 (Mesopotamia) consists of ten volumes, IOR/L/PS/10/755-764. The volumes are divided into twelve parts, with parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 comprising one volume each. Part 10 is missing. Part 7, entitled ‘Mesopotamia: Sir A. Wilson’s invitation to Syrian Baghdadis’, was transferred to File 5268/20 Parts 1 and 2 (see IOR/L/PS/10/913).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 489; 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 intermittent additional foliation sequences are also present. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves. The sequence contains one foliation anomaly, f 89a.
- 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/10/761
- Title
- File 4722/1918 Pt 8 'Mesopotamia: Situation'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1r:89v, 89ar:89av, 90r:113r, 114v, 118v:120r, 121v, 127v:169v, 173r:192v, 194r:211v, 213r:223v, 225r:227r, 229r:261v, 262v:263v, 266r:279v, 280ar, 280r:293v, 294v, 295v:317v, 318ar, 318r:333v, 334v:341v, 342v:359v, 360v:400v, 404r:424v, 425ar, 425r:489v, ii-r:ii-v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence