"ملاحظات ميدانية: بلاد الرافدين. هيئة الأركان العامة في الهند. فبراير ١٩١٧". [و‎‎١‎٤‎٨] (٣٥٠/٣٠٤)

the continuance of business, is never interfered with. Some
English, French, and Russian gold is in circulation. It re
mains to notice one more coin and that fictitious—the Shami—
which is the unit of computation in the date trade. There was
once an actual coin of this name with a nominal value of 10 gold
piastres, but that value having been reduced by order of the
Turkish Government after the last Russo-Turkish war to gold
piastres, which was less than the price of the metal it contained,
it was everywhere melted down and has now altogether dis
appeared except from the quotations of the date market.
At the time of the occupation of Basrah, Turkish, Persian,
and Indian silver coinage was current in about equal proportions
in Iraq. The Turkish and Indian silver coinage had a fixed
value relative to the Lii^ah and Sovereign respectively. The
Persian coinage, not being strengthened by a gold issue, fluc
tuated greatly, but large quantities were brought in by Persian
pilgrims every year, thus rendering nugatory the current prohi
bition against import of foreign silver.
From the first Expeditionary Force has been financed practi
cally entirely by imports from India of Rupees, with the proper
proportion of small coin, both copper and nickel, as well as
Indian currency notes, which have always been very popular.
Practically no gold has been used.
Considerable quantities of Turkish Lirahs are still in circula
tion and are current at exaggerated rates approximately 10 per
cent, in excess of their Rupee value in time of peace. The
Kran was current at about 4d. until February 1915 and very
large quantities were brought at that price "by Government
for the purchase of mules, sheep, etc., in south-west Persia for
the use of the Force. In February, however, the exchange fell
suddenly from Krans 412 = Rupees 100 to Krans 340 = Rupees
100, i.e., wheat, barley, mules, etc., began to cost us about 25 per
cent, more than before, and Krans in sufficient numbers, even
at this rate, were practically unobtainable. The difficulty was a
serious one, and means have not yet been found to circumvent
it adequately. It is apparently due firstly to the recent rise
in the price'of silver, secondly to the flooding of North Persia
with Russian paper money, and thirdly to the curtailed coinage
of new Persian currency due to the difficulty of importing silver.
The question is under discussion with the Imperial Bank of
Persia in Teheran, through His Majesty’s Minister and with the
Government of India..