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File 4722/1918 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration of policy and situation' [67v] (143/687)
The record is made up of 1 volume (326 folios). It was created in 23 Oct 1918-2 Nov 1919. It was written in English, French and Arabic. 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.
1'/
16
Therefore for the above reasons we choose the Government of Great
Britain and in return the necessary laws and orders should be laid down so
as to safeguard the interests of the people of ‘Iraq in accordance with the
well-known justice of Great Britain.
[Signed and sealed by Shaikh ( Ali Shaikh Muhammad Ridha al Kashif al
Ghata.']
Dated 20th R. 1. A.H. 1337 (December 25th, 1918).
7 (12). In answer to the enquiries made by the Offg. Civil Commis
sioner, Baghdad, from the ‘Ulama regarding the selection and appointment
of a chief in ‘Iraq, who may be fit for this dignified and exalted situation,
we beg to state that although we have thought and pondered over this we
have not been able to find one with whom we are satisfied and who possesses
all the qualities necessary for this grand position. We have, therefore,
decided to resort to the kind and just Government regarding this great matter.
The Government is well informed and far-sighted, and is able to train those
who are lacking and to perfect the sources of progress and improvement over-
and beyond the good and noble intentions already shown by Government to
wards the Islamic sanctuaries, the esteem shown to the spiritual guides and
the enforcement of the religious laws which your noble and kind nature has
already acceded to.
[Signed by Saiyid Ja‘far Bahr-al-‘Ulum Tabatabai.]
7 (13). In response to the enquiries made by Col. Wilson, Offg. Civil
Commissioner, Baghdad, from the ‘Ulama regarding the Government
of ‘Iraq, we beg to state that although we have looked into the matter and
thought it over we have not been able to come to any safe and satisfactory
conclusion. So we leave this matter to the opinion and judgment of the
British officers to do all that they consider best for the welfare of ‘Iraq and
the people of ‘Iraq. If the people are not capable and fit at present the
Government should undertake measures to train them and thus make them
fit. I malhy we pray that the religious laws may be enforced and the
l lama and the shrines may be respected. May your grandeur endure.
[ Three signatures . ]
Dated 10th Rabi al ‘Awwal, 1337 (December 15th, 1918).
sistali! hL JlhTn r )- Sked ^ P - 0 -’ Shamiyah ’ (thr0 ^ h As-
(1) Whether we wished that the territories from the north of Mosul
down to the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
should form one compact country, and
(2) Whether it would be suitable that the newly-formed country should
be under an Arab Amir, and ^
(3) T ° this* Am irate 11116 ° f ^ Amil> Wh0m W6 f ° Und m ° St suitable f °r
* In to tllese questions we beg to answer as follows:
(1) Certainly! The ‘Iraq should form one country from the north
of Mosul down to the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. J tn
(2) The ‘Iraq is chiefly inhabited by Arabs. Each man being natur
ally inclined to like his nation, we therefore prefer that this
new country should be under an Arab Amir.
(3) The people of ‘Iraq are Arabs, Moslems by religion Thev should
therefore be ruled by a Muhammadan Amir If this Miiliam-
madan Annr is going to be an Arab one, we prefer that he
should be one of the sons of our Lord, the Sharif. P But we desire
that the (British) Government should remain in this countrv
condition. 11 tlme 88 they tUm the ‘ Ira 9 * flouri^
[Ten signatures of Shaikhs and others 1
Dated 24th Eabi al ‘Awwal, 1337. (Equivalent to December 28th, 1918).
*
f
About this item
- Content
The volume contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, telegrams and minutes regarding the administration of, and situation in, Mesopotamia [Iraq] following the Asia Minor Agreement of 1916, more commonly known as the Sykes-Picot Agreement, between the French and British governments, and the Anglo-French Declaration of November 1918. The volume also concerns the subject of self-determination in Persia [Iran].
The papers notably cover:
- Discussion of advance interpretations of the 1916 Agreement
- The Anglo-French Declaration of November 1918, which publicised their intentions and policy in the former Ottoman territories of Syria and Iraq
- Presentation of the 1918 Declaration to the President of the United States of America by the French Ambassador to the US, Jean Adrien Antoine Jules Jusserand
- Disagreement between the British and French visions of the future administration of Mesopotamia
- The situation in southern Kurdistan
- The 1919 Paris Peace Conference
- Apprehensions of the Baghdad Jewish community about the tenor of the Anglo-French Declaration, including a petition to the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, requesting to be made subjects of the British Crown
- Reaction to the Declaration from the across the Arab world
- Disagreement among the British over the form that Britain’s control in Mesopotamia should take
- The views of the principal sheikhs [shaikhs] of Mesopotamia on the 1918 Agreement
- Discussion among British officials of the benefits of control over Mesopotamia and the view of the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad, Arnold Talbot Wilson, on the situation in Mesopotamia
- Discussion of the potential candidates for the head of the new state of Iraq
- Reports on consultations with political and religious leaders and inhabitants from across Iraq on the future Government of Iraq
- The views of Sir Percy Cox and Arnold Wilson on the situation in Mesopotamia
- The question of the future political status of Mesopotamia, including the views of British officers serving in Syria and the Hejaz
- Discussion of the question of Iraqi self-determination.
Notable documents in this volume include:
- Text by Sir Percy Cox regarding ‘The Future of Mesopotamia’ (ff 308-310 and ff 270-272)
- Extracts from The Times , 26 November 1819, including a series of articles under the title ‘The Arab Campaign’ (ff 230-232)
- The statutes for the independence of Iraq (ff 127-130)
- A memorandum by Major W H Young regarding the future of Mesopotamia (ff 99-112)
- Copies of ‘Self-determination in Iraq’ in Arabic (ff 75-97) and English (ff 57-73).
The principal correspondents are: 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. , Political Department; the Governor-General of India; the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad; the Military Governor and Political Officer, Baghdad; Government of India, Military Department, the French Ambassador to the United States; and the British Embassy, Paris.
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 (326 folios)
- Arrangement
The contents of the volume are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
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 334; 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 mixed foliation/pagination 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 two anomalies: f 181a and f 181b.
- Written in
- English, French and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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File 4722/1918 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration of policy and situation' [67v] (143/687), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/755, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100188328443.0x000085> [accessed 9 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/755
- Title
- File 4722/1918 Pt 1 'Mesopotamia: administration of policy and situation'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, i-r:i-v, 1r:127v, 128ar, 128r:175v, 176ar, 176r:181v, 181ar:181av, 181cr, 181br:181bv, 182r:182v, 186r:229v, 232v:325v, 327r:334v, 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