"السكك الحديدية وسياسة [خطوط الاتصالات]، بلاد الرافدين. المجلد III" [و‎‎٢‎٣‎٥] (٥٤٩/٤٧٠)

Prom:- G.O#C* in C#, Mesopotamia*
To:- War Office; repeated India*
SEC RET
Despatched 11*35 a*m*, 3/8/18.
Received 8.45 a*m*, 4/8/lS.
255
$
X*808. August 3rd.
Your 63297 M.R.2.A/534 July 29th.
1* It ould he preferable unless the 7 remaining construction officers
have experience of railway construction in the east that they should go to
India in the first instance.
2. In my X 161 July 14th I asked for the objective of the Khanikin railway
extension and the obligatory points to be sarired by that line. I note your
remarks on road objective but must point out that an inordinately large
increase in M.T. would be necessary to provide for the daily maintenance
of 200 tons by despatch from railhead to Enzeli. The distance is about
600 miles so that for normal running of convoys, at least 3 weeks must be
allowed for round trip or, say, 4 trips in 3 months. During this period
18,000 tons would be the output at Enzeli and 4500 tons would be the
amount carried in each convoy. As the maximum capacity of Peerless lorries
on Persian roads is 2 tons, 2225 such vehicles would be required, or making
allowance for vehicles under repair 24 companies of Peerless each of 100
vehicles snde? re^Fi? #4 gompeEfiF&Sfc or alternatively 178 companies of Pord
Vans. I have now 1 Company of Peerless and have asked you for 2 more vide
also
n$r X 642 July 28th, may/be assumed that the road could not be put in such
order throughout as would allow of the regular passage of such heavy motor
traffic for at least 12 months. I have taken steps to obtain the use of
local transport i.e. Persian mules and Russian wagon fourgons. Animals
would take at least 7 weeks to do the single journey and for the carriage
of certain articles of supply their use is unsatisfactory. These figures
will be slightly modified by the extension of the railway but I think the
above is sufficient to show you the impossibility of carrying out your
wi8heS# M.O.X. Copies to:-
C. I.G.S. D.M. I. COL.PADDGU.
D.C.I.G.S. M • I • 1. E .COMMITTEE.
D. M.0. M.I.2.B. P.0.
D.D.M.O. M.I.2.D. LORD CURZQN.
M.0.2.