"لجنة بلاد الرافدين. تقرير اللجنة المُعينة بموجب قانون البرلمان للتحقيق في عمليات الحرب في بلاد الرافدين، بالإضافة إلى تقرير خاص أعده القائد ج. ويدجوود، الحاصل على وسام الخدمة المتميزة، وعضو البرلمان، وملاحق. لندن: مكتب الأدوات القرطاسية الملكية، ١٩١٧." [ظ‎‎٢‎٩] (٢٤٨/٥٨)

56
PART IX.—TRANSPORT.
N
A. Shortage of River Transport. ^
45. In January, 1916, the Government of India sent Sir George Buchanan, a civilian
who had been in charge of the Port of Rangoon, with a view to his becoming Director-
General of the Port of Basra, and reorganising the traffic and facilities of the port. He
did not receive any formal or definite appointment indicating the position he was to hold
or specifying his duty, though a titular designation was given to him, viz., that of
Director-General of Port Administration and River Conservancy. It was, unfortunately,
left to Sir Johh Nixon to arrange with Sir George Buchanan, after his arrival, exactly
what the duties of the position were to be. Differences naturally ensued. Sir George
Buchanan’s powers were so limited by Sir John Nixon, that the former considered his
services were not put to their proper use. After a short stay he returned to India. Mean
time his report on the conditions as he found them on arrival at Basra was communicated
to Simla. In this he makes the following observations
I found it difficult to realise that we had been in occupation of Basra for a year, as the arrangements
for the landing and storing of goods and stores of every description were of the most primitive order, and,
in the absence of roads, the whole area was a huge quagmire. To a new-comer appearances were such that
troops and stores might have been landed, for the first time, the previous week. . . . The military
expedition to Basra is, I believe, unique, inasmuch as in no previous case has such an enormous force been
landed and maintained without an adequately prepared base.
46. About the middle of 1916 Sir George Buchanan returned to Basra, the port and
traffic management was radically reorganised, and Sir George Buchanan was placed in
full control. Since that time and since the War Office took over the charge and responsi
bility of the expedition, energy has been shown in building wharves, increasing
the facilities, and generally making the port more capable of meeting the growing
demands upon it. But these operations mean heavy expenditure and take time.
Much of the material required had to be manufactured in England or the United
States ; consequently it is not surprising that the improvement visible during 1916 was
not more rapid. We find, however, that there has been marked and consistent improve
ment during the period June to December, 1916. We have been supplied with statements
showing the time occupied by vessels bringing supplies for the Expeditionary Force from
the time of their crossing the bar at Fao, inward bound, until they, having completed their v
discharge, passed outwards. It appears that the average number of days in port of each
ship bringing supplies to Basra was—
Month.
Average number of
Days in Port of Vessels
bringing Supplies.
July ...
39
August
23
September
26
October
24
November
20
December
20
47. From the full statement given to us it appears that while the number of ships
bringing supplies increased threefold during the six months, the number of days in port,
as above shown, had considerably diminished. The improvement is manifest and com
mendable. It cannot, however, be considered that 20 days in port is a satisfactory rate
of discharge. With ample lighterage, wharfage and labour, despite the bad climate, it
should be possible to reduce the detention by another 10 days, and every effort should
be made to accomplish this. A reduction of a further 10 days on the number of steamers
now arriving per month with cargo would save the country over £600,000 per annum.
River Hospital Steamers.
48. Early in the Mesopotamia campaign when operations were on a minor scale and not
very far from tidal water, there seems to have been no thought of special river hospital
steamers. The need had not then been felt and was not foreseen. In February, 1915. a
hospital barge, the “ Bengali," was offered by Bengal and accepted, but foundered on the
voyage. Replacement was not asked for. Between February and August, 1915, various V
communications passed between Mesopotamia and India concerning motor launches and