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File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [157r] (328/522)
The record is made up of 1 volume (244 folios). It was created in 1 Dec 1917-26 Jun 1922. 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.
use of blasting charges. The inhabitants are familiar with blasting. The installation of a small
smithy is necessary for repairing tools. Wood is at hand for any subsequent introduction of
tunnelling. (Lime, ash, and higher up, oak.)
As regards the question of transport, an attempt should be made to put the road to Zakho in
a thorough state of repair. Mountain roads particularly must be widened. As far as possible stones
must be removed, unnecessary gradients avoided, and bridges erected.
1 suggest working with one’s own animals, whereby differences between Government and con
tractors would be avoided. 1 he varying percentage of moisture contained in the coal, causes great
fluctuation in weight, consequently, transport stoppages can only be prevented by doing this.
When paying according to weight, the weighing should be. done in the depot at Zakho and
not at the pit, as a great deal of coal is lost duiing transport. I have arranged the prices on this
basis. Surplus ex-transport belonging to the mountain inhabitants, is preferable to donkey transport
On account of the steep and slippery roads, camels cannot be employed.
Should work on a large scale be introduced, the construction of a cable railway at the mountains
is recommended in addition to light railway traffic from the foot of the mountain to Zakho (each
about 8 km. long). Water power is available throughout the year.
COAL MINES AT MARSIS.
I he village of Mai sis can be teached from Zakho by two routes. One leads via Sheranis and
during the summer is the best and shortest and takes hours. Transport, however, with snow
upon the ground is difficult. For state of the Zakho Sheranis Road, see above. It is two hours,
journey from Marsis to Sheranis ; on horseback, the road is, in places, impassable.
the second load leads via Parrasch hours) to Zakho ; 8 hours according to statements of
inhabitants.
Coal is found principally at two places, of which one is situated 20 minutes south of Marsis,
the other fifteen minutes south, east of the village.
At Mine I (south of Marsis) coal crops up in a limited area of some 600 sq. metres, whereas
of Mine II, the coal on the south-eastern slopes of the mountain appears on the surface at three
chief spots over a length of from 600 to 800 m. To all appearance, Mine II possesses the better
coal, and when working its strong smell of tar is noticeable.
A third mine is said to be situated At an hour’s distance from the village ; according to state
ments, however, the coal is poor in quality.
Marsis can supply about 100 workmen ; here also, the employment of a large number of
workmen must be reckoned upon in the event of continuous working.
The wages are the same as those in Sheranis, per working day from 2 to 5 pts.
Consequent upon the greater distance from Zakho, the cost of transport is also higher ; I have
fixed the prices at : Transport per men load (via Sheranis) 2'5 pts.
GENERAL.
As the mines were visited from Sheranis the stay was limited to only one day, the actual daily
output could not be ascertained. In my opinion an output of ‘5 tons per day per man is quite
possible, provided that the proposals made for the Sheranis mines were put in foice.
COAL MINES IN BANIKE.
The mines are situated at a distance of 5 hours from the Khabur River. At Sheranis (Mussul
man) the route joins the road which leads from Sheranis (Chaldean).
A second road runs to Zakho via Birsiwi (2 hours).
Banike lies 2^ hours south-east of Sheranis.
There are two mines existing.
Mine I lies 20 minutes westwards of the village ; the coal is very dirty and crops out at
various spots.
Mine II is situated a quarter of an hour to the west of Banike.
The coal is of the same quality as that of Sheranis and likewise appears on the surface.
The wages paid amount to from 3 to 5 pts. per man per day.
Banike can supply some 100 men.
Cost of transport per man load (via route 1) = 1'5 to 2 pts.
The proposals already made for the other mines apply to any augmentation of output
It is recommended that a sea?ch of iron ore, which appears to crop up at different places in
the valley from Sheranis to Banike, be undertaken.
COAL MINES IN HARBOL.
Distance from Zakho, 9 hours. At low water, it is possible to cross the Khabur to the west of
the town, while at high water, a detour must be made over the old bridge, a quarter of an hour
east of the town. From here the road leads in two hours to the Hazil River, a tributary of the
Khabur. During the rainy season, the crossing occupies a considerable amount of time as the
current is very strong. My caravan, comprising four horses and 15 pack animals, required dl
hours. Besbin is reached via Jemada. ’ 2
Since Harbol has been vacated by the inhabitants, it is recommended that the mines be
visited from Besbin. Distance on horseback li hours, for pack animals 2$ hours (from Besbin to
About this item
- Content
This volume contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, telegrams and maps and geological drawings, regarding the geological examination of regions in Mesopotamia and the prospect of petroleum [oil] in these areas.
Included in the volume are the following reports:
- ‘MESOPOTAMIA GEOLOGICAL REPORTS No. 7-11’ (‘No. 7’ is crossed out and replaced with ‘No. 8’), 1920 (ff 9-22)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No. 7 NOTES ON THE UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES OF NORTHEN MESOPOTAMIA’, 1920 (ff 25-31)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No. 6 NOTES ON ZAKHO AND DOHUK [Duhok]’, 1920 (ff 41-44)
- ‘MESOPOTAMIA GEOLOGICAL REPORT 1919’, 1920 (ff 57-109)
- ‘REPORT OF THE BITUMINOUS DEPOSIT NEAR KIFRI’, 1919 (f 114)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 5. THE KIFRI DISTRICT’ (ff 115-116)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 4. RECONNAISSANCE REPORT ON THE COUNTRY ON THE RIGHT BANK OF THE RIVER TIGRIS BETWEEN BAIJI AND MOSUL’, 1919 (ff 122-129)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 3. RECONNAISSANCE REPORT ON THE EUPHRATES VALLEY BETWEEN HILLAH AND HIT’, 1919 (ff 131-143)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 2. PRELIMINARY NOTES ON THE JABAL HAMRIN’, 1919 (f 143)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 1 ON THE DISTRICT OF QAIYARAH [Al Qayyarah]’, 1919 (ff 146-151)
- ‘APPENDIX. Translation of a Captured Document. Report of a Tour to the Coal Area and Petroleum Springs in the Zone of the Sixth L. of C. Inspectorate’, 1919 (ff 156-158)
- ‘No 13. Notes on the Jabal Gilabat [Qilabat] between Chinchal-al-Kabir and Qarah Tappah’, 1919 (f 164)
- ‘No 14. Notes on the Jabal Hamrin between Qarah Tappah and Table Mountain’, 1919 (ff 164v-167)
- ‘No. 10. Notes on the Geology of the Country between Tazah Khurmatu and Tauq [Tukhama Khulu]’, 1919 (ff 182-185)
- ‘REPORTS ON THE PROSPECTS OF PETROLEUM IN THE BAGHDAD WILAYAT [Vilayet]’, 1918 (ff 187-201)
- ‘Report No 9. Oil in the Kirkuk Anticline’, 1919 (ff 204-205)
- ‘No 3. Report on the Prospects of Obtaining Oil in the Jab-al-Khanuqah, S.E. of Sharqat [Ash Sharqat]’, 1918 (f 207)
- ‘No 4. Prospects of Obtaining Oil in the Jab-al-Qaiyarah and its continuation, the Jab-al-Najmah’, 1919 (ff 208-209)
- ‘No 5. Possibilities of Obtaining Oil in the Jab-al-Mishrak [Al Mishraq] and Country West of Hammam Ali [Hammam al Ali]’, 1919 (ff 210-211)
- ‘No 6. The Country between Mosul and Quwair [Al Kuwayr] on the Greater Zab, and its Prospects as Oil-producing Territory’, 1919 (ff 211v-212)
- ‘Report No 7. Sulphur near the Confluence of the Greater Zab with the Tigris’, 1919 (f 213)
- ‘No 8. Prospects of Obtaining Oil in the Quwair Dome’, 1919 (ff 213-214)
- ‘Appendix to Report No. 4, on the Jab-al-Qaiyarah Oil-field’, 1919 (f 214v)
- ‘Report on the prospects of obtaining Oil in the Jabal-Hamrin and Jabal- Makhul between Tikrit and Sharqat’, 1918 (ff 217-218)
- ‘Odd Notes on the Country between Tikrit and the Jabal-Hamrin and Jabal Makhul’, 1918 (ff 219-220)
- ‘PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE PROSPECTS OF PETROLEUM IN THE BAGHDAD WILAYAT’, 1918 (ff 233-236).
Also included in the volume are the following maps and geological drawings:
- ‘TO ACCOMPANY GEOLOGICAL REPORT MESOPOTAMIA No 8’, 1920 (f 20)
- ‘To ACCOMPANY GEOLOGICAL REPORT MESOPOTAMIA No 8 ON THE SULAIMANIYAH DISTRICT’, 1920 (f 21)
- ‘TO ACCOMPANY GEOLOGICAL REPORT MESOPOTAMIA No: 7a. THE WATER RESOURCES OF THE MANDALI-BADRAH DISTRICT’, 1920 (f 30)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (MESOPOTAMIA) No 7 NOTES ON THE UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES OF NORTHERN MESOPOTAMIA’, 1920 (f 31)
- ‘TO ACCOMPANY GEOLOGICAL REPORT No 6’, 1920 (f 44)
- ‘TRANSVERSE SECTION. JABAL HAMRIN’ (f 88)
- ‘Diagrammatic Section across Jabal Hamrine [Hamrin] in the Table mountain area, shewing [showing] relationship of Pos Tertray [Post-Tertiary] Gravel to the Tertainis [Tertiaries]’ (f 168)
- ‘Red Clay & Sandstone Series Transverse section across Jabal Gilbat’ (f 169)
- ‘QĀRAH TAPPAH’, 1918 (f 170)
- ‘CHINCHĀL-TALISHĀN’, 1918 (f 172)
- ‘SHAHRABĀN’, 1917 (f 174)
- ‘MANSURĪYAH AL JABAL’, 1918 (f 176)
- ‘1 Diagrammatic Section N[orth]. of the Tuz Khurmatu’ (f 183)
- ‘2 Diagrammatic Section oposite [ sic ] Sulaiman Beg, just N[orth]. of the stream’ (f 183)
- ‘3 Diagrammatic Section oposite [ sic ] Sulaiman Beg just S[outh]. of the Stream’ (f 183v)
- ‘Transverse Section across Jabal Nasaz near Gil’ (f 185)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL MAP OF NAFT KHANA DISTRICT OF MESOPOTAMIA’ (f 198)
- ‘THE PETROLEUM DEPOSITS OF HIT’ (f 199)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE IN N.E. MESOPOTAMIA’ (f 200)
- ‘SECTION FROM SHAHRABAN TO CHAH SURKH [Chiya Surkh]’ (f 201)
- Transverse Section Maps of Jabal Hamrin and Jabal Makhul (f 220).
The volume comprises internal correspondence between British officials of different departments. The principal correspondents are: the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad; the Under-Secretary of State, 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 Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Baghdad; officers of the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau; and officers from the Petroleum Department.
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.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (244 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 246; 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. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
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- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/815
- Title
- File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:19v, 22r:29v, 32r:43v, 45r:87v, 89r:167v, 177r:182v, 184r:184v, 186r:197v, 202r:219v, 221r:245v, back-i
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- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
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- Open Government Licence