"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٣‎٧‎٢] (١٧٨٢/١٥٢٧)

1372
doubt be attributed to the reforming and centralising zeal of the Con
stantinople bureaucracy under 'Abdul Majid, the first Sultan under whom
the influence of the capital on provincial administration is clearly trace
able at Baghdad. Others may have been connected with Turkish designs
on Muhammareh.
Military So early as 1844 an attempt was made to raise a local regiment at
Baghdad" ^ -^ a gbdad by voluntary enlistment. About 200 recruits were obtained j
1844. but fears of conscription or some other evil to follow created a panic in
the city, from which 3,000 or 4,000 people actually took flight. The
experiment was probably a failure.
Institution of In 1845 the first regular Daftardar or Accountant-General, an official
ever since well known at Baghdad, appears to have been posted to Turkish
'Iraq. He seems to have worked at Erst under the direct orders of the
central Government; and his authority superseded, in certain revenue
matters, that of the executive ruler of the Pashaliq. That this centralis
ing innovation cannot long have remained in full vigour seems clear from
the arbitrary and ruinous fiscal policy pursued by Najib Pasha and
his successors after 1845, unless indeed it was dictated by the new
official, which does not seem probable.
Octroi duties, Orders from Constantinople were received at Baghdad in 1847 for the
abolition of Ihtisab or octroi duty in the towns. This may have been a
fashionable reform, or proposed reform in Western Turkey at the time;
but in Turkish 'Iraq octroi was destined to survive for many a year to
come. The Daftardar of Baghdad made a journey to Basrah, however,
to discover whether any compensating tax could be realised at
that port in lieu of octroi,
of 0 R-gh ; b OQ Administrative Commissions of Enquiry now come into vogue. In
Pasha, 1847. March 1847 one Raghib Pasha was sent from Constantinople with a
Farman and sword of honour for Najib Pasha, which he presented at
Baghdad with much eclat; but he had also instructions to inspect Basrah
and the Shatt-al-'Arab districts generally > and to report how the town
could best be improved, the local revenues enhanced, and the naval
strength of Turkey upon the river increased. The British Political Agent
at Baghdad considered the proceedings of this Commissioner likely to
appear suspicious not only to the Persians, with whom the frontier line
was in dispute, but also to \ the Muntafik tribe for other reasons. The
institution of a separate Pashaliq of Basrah three years later may have
been a result of Raghib Pasha's deputation.
a^Kahiyah'at 1^49 the ancient office of Kahiyah still existed at Baghdad. The
Kahiyah was originally a very confidential officer of the Pasha's house-