"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد I. ١٩١٨" [‎٢‎٧‎١] (٥٦٨/٢٨٠)

COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPOET 271
Suq esh-Shuyukh (boat-bridge).
Kurna (road and railway bridges at the mouth of the Old Channel
of the Euphrates).
Gurmat All (road and railway bridges (pontoon) at the mouth of
the New Channel of the Euphrates).
The Tigris from Samarra downwards is bridged at the following
points:
Samarra (boat-bridge).
Baghdad (boat-bridge).
Qarareh (boat-bridge).
Kut el-Amara (boat-bridge).
Amara (new pile bridge with steel floating section to allow passage
of river-traffic; total length 750 ft., floating section 270 ft.; width 20 ft.).
Latlateh (boat-bridge).
The Diyaleh is crossed by boat-bridges at Baqubeh and at its mouth.
There are many ferries on the Euphrates and Tigris, on which
shdkhturs and qiiffehs ply.
Boad Communications Arabistan
The plains of Arabistan, where not covered with permanent marsh
or (as in the Fellahlyeh district) intersected by frequent canals,
generally afford in dry weather a surface which is passable for light
wheeled transport; but rain may make them quite impracticable for
wheels and difficult if not impassable for pack-animals. Even in
dry weather heavy transport is liable to stick in patches of sand.
In the foothills of the Persian highlands there are some tracks
passable for carts, but among the higher ranges there are only tracks
for pack-animals except where the Baghdad—Kirmanshah route
ascends to the Persian plateau by Qasr-i-Shlrln and Ser-i-Pul. The
high passes are liable to be blocked by snow in winter.
(a)In Arabistan light wheeled transport can pass in dry weather
with little difficulty over the following routes:
Marid—Shushtar via Ahwaz and the Band-i-Qlr bridge (light
motor-lorries).
Shushtar—Dizful ?
Manduwan (near Mohammareh)—Amlnlyeh (opposite Ahwaz).
Amlnlyeh—Shush (light motor-lorries).
Ahwaz—Maidan-i-Naftun via Band-i-Qlr bridge and Dar-i-Khazineh
(where the Ab-i-Gargar would need bridging).
Ahwaz—Behbehan via Eamuz.
Ahwaz—Bandar Dilam via Deh Mulla or Hindlyan (the Hindlyan
would need bridging).