Sport has been encouraged and officers have shown great improvement in and keenness for this branch of the training of a Cavalryman. Several officers have ridden winners in hurdle races, the 'Iraq Cavalry won the spring handicap polo tournament, and 29 pigs have been killed pigsticking during the staff rides. Every unit has had officers and men trained in machine-gun work, and, with a large percentage of men re-engaging, there are prospects of good progress during the coming year. ARTILLERY. Three Batteries of Artillery, one of Field Artillery (18-pdr. Q.F.) and two of Pack Artillery (2.75-in. B.L.) have carried on continuous training with good results. A fourth Battery has been raised, and is to be armed with the 3.7-in. Q.F. Howitzer Pack Equipment. The equipment has not yet, however, been delivered from the manufacturers. The 1st Pack Battery carried out satisfactory practice at Mosul in the spring of 1924, while the Field Battery and 2nd Pack went to practice-camp near Baghdad in December. The drill was good and the officers showed that they had to a very great extent assimilated the new methods, despite the handicap imposed on them by the lack of translations. This lack has been met to some extent by lectures and notes, but the lack of official Artillery publications in Arabic is keenly felt. Two more Batteries of 3.7-in. Q.F. Howitzer are under order, and when they arrive will replace one or both of the existing 2.75-in. B.L. Batteries. The period of service, two years, is really too short to train N.C.O.S in the Artillery, but a considerable number of men re-engage for another two years, and N.C.O.s are found from these. The keenness of the officers of the Artillery is a particularly encouraging sign, and there are no grounds for any despondency as to the future of this arm. INFANTRY. Generally speaking considerable improvement has been made. in Infantry units of the 'Iraq Army during the period under review but, unfortunately, for reasons that will be stated later, the progress made is not entirely satisfactory. A fairly high standard has been attained in individual training and some progress has been made in Musketry, especially as far as Vickers and Lewis Gunners are concerned, but as yet insufficient advance has been made in progressive combined training, which defect may be attributed mainly to the following causes : (18153) (1) The period of two years' service of the rank and file is insufficient, except under the most favourable conditions, which do not exist in 'Iraq. F (2) The exigencies of the service have necessitated the splitting up of battalions and constant moves, which, coupled with adverse weather conditions, has rendered it difficult to adhere to the programmes of training drawn up at the beginning of the year. Until the last six months no Battalion Commander has had his Battalion concentrated for any length of time, progressive and systematised training being thus seriously handicapped. (3) A heavy and constant wastage throughout the period has occurred in all units, due to N.C.O.s and men taking their discharge on completion of their term of service, transfers and other causes, vacancies being filled as they occurred by the posting of raw recruits direct to units. Infantry Depots have now, however, been started which will undertake the training of all recruits. COURSES. Officers and N.C.O.s were sent to attend courses of instruction at the 'Iraq Army Training Centre. Much benefit has undoubtedly been derived from these, but it is recommended that they be held only in the non-training season. In conclusion, one improvement is very noticeable in all Infantry units, and that is the added zest, keenness to learn, and alertness displayed, with few exceptions, by all ranks. If this spirit is maintained and better facilities are afforded for training, satisfactory progress may be anticipated in the coming year. 6. Strength: 31st December, 1924. Strength of Combatant Units on 31st December, 1924 : 7. Ordnance Services. The Regulations for the Ordnance Services are based on those of the British Army, with certain modifications to suit local conditions. Ordnance repair shops exist and deal with all minor repairs which are carried out there. Provision of skilled labour has been a difficulty, but the Government of India has consented to allow men to be trained in India, which will eliminate this difficulty in the future. As regards supply of clothing, stores, etc., the provision of all articles possible to obtain locally is open to local tender. Articles purchased in the United Kingdom, including all arms, ammunition and vehicles, are purchased through the Crown Agents for the Colonies, whose assistance to the 'Iraq Army has been invaluable. The arms and equipment of the Army are all of British pattern to facilitate replacement. 8. Budget (1923–24 and 1924–25). The Budget for the year ending 31st March, 1924, was originally Rs.66,52,326, but consequent upon authority being received for an increase of strength, a supplementary budget was prepared amounting to Rs.13,97,012. This brought the total for the year to Rs.80,49,338. A saving was effected on this of Rs.1,50,000. For the year ending 31st March, 1925, the Budget provision was Rs.118,00,000, on which it is estimated that a saving of about Rs. 10,00,000 will be made. VI. MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKS. 1. Organization and Scope. ORGANIZATION. During the whole period the Ministry exercised control over, and was responsible to Government for, the activities of the Departments of Irrigation, Posts and Telegraphs, Surveys, Public Works and Antiquities. The Department of Railways was placed under the administrative control of the Ministry with effect from 1st April, 1923, although the railways remain the property of His Britannic Majesty's Government. (18153) F2 The Irrigation Training College, founded in 1921, was reconstituted to train engineering subordinates for all technical departments of Government and was renamed the School of Engineering and placed under the direct control of the Ministry with effect from 10th October, 1923. ACTIVITIES OF THE MINISTRY. In addition to the ordinary administrative control exercised over the various departments, the Ministry has been occupied in negotiating, with applicants, the concessions mentioned below :— (a) The Turkish Petroleum Concession, concerning which negotiations are still proceeding. (b) The Baghdad Tramway and Electric Concession, regarding which negotiations are still proceeding. (c) The Asfar Concession for the development of Irrigation and cultivation within defined areas on the Diyala and Euphrates Rivers. The Convention was concluded on 10th July, 1924, and preliminary work has already begun, although the 'Iraq Government has not yet finally approved the financial status of the Companies formed to work the concession, as is required by the terms of the Convention. (d) An Electrical Concession for Karbala. Negotiations are practically complete and a temporary licence has already been issued to enable work to be begun. (e) Licences have been issued for the installation of water supplies by private enterprise in Kadhimain and Mu'adhdham. GENERAL. The Ministry controls the activities of the Baghdad Water Board, instituted on 1st April, 1924, to manage the water supply undertaking of the city of Baghdad and to carry out the improvements and extensions to that installation. The following Laws have been presented to the Council of Ministers by this Ministry and have become Law :— (a) Postal Money Order Law, 1923. (b) Postal Parcels Law, 1923. (c) Telegraph Money Order Law, 1923. (e) Baghdad Bridges Protection Law, 1924. (g) Postal Exports Prohibition Law, 1924. (i) Irrigation and Bund Amendment Law, 1924. (k) Baghdad Water Supply Loan Law, 1924. 2. Irrigation Directorate. ORGANIZATION. At the opening of the period under review the Irrigation Department consisted of three sections i.e. :-(i) Construction and Maintenance, comprising three Executive Divisions and one Executive Subdivision and the central control of Headquarters; (ii) Surveys Division; and (iii) the Irrigation College The College was inaugurated in the year 1921, with a view to training 'Iraqi Engineers for the Irrigation Department. Later, however, it was decided that the College should be re-organized for the purpose of training 'Iraqi Engineers for all technical departments of Government. On this decision it was transferred for administrative purposes to the Ministry of Communications and Works in October, 1923. Yet another change occurred in the organization of the Department, namely, the foundation of a new Executive Division, the responsibility of which would be the control of all river protection work on the Tigris River from Farhatiyah to Kut, a distance of approximately 225 miles of river. This new Division, incorporating two Sub-divisions of the Baghdad Division, was opened in November, 1923. LAWS. Addenda and amendments to the Law for the control of Irrigation and Bunds, 1923, were approved and passed by Government in February and December, 1924. ALLOTMENT. The budget allotment for the Department, excluding that for the Irrigation College, was Rs.41,17,172, which included special allotments amounting to Rs.9,15,000 granted during the year to meet heavy expenditure incurred mainly as a result of the floods on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The allotment for the preceding year was Rs.38,68,435. WORKS. Tigris Floods. In the early part of the year the Department was faced with the problem of draining the 200 odd square miles of land inundated as a result of breaches in the Tigris flood banks north of Baghdad. Twenty-five acres of crop were destroyed, as was the race-course north of Baghdad. For the purpose of draining the vast area under water a channel capable of discharging approximately 50 cusecs was cut through Tall Muhammad, situated east of the Eastern Bund and at the junction of the Civil and Military Cantonments. This was completed on 14th May, 1923. The Diyala flood bank was also cut on that date to permit of an escape to the Diyala River. The river level prevented the opening of the escape earlier. (18135) F3 |