MOSUL, the third most important town of modern 'Iraq. the other two large towns being Baghdad and Basra. Mosul lies on the right bank of the Tigris in 27° N. E., opposite the site of ancient Nineveh, and 23o miles north-west of Baghdad. The population is estimated at between 70,000 and 90,000, mostly Muslims, although the city contains a number of people of vari ous sects, among the most noticeable being the "Christians of St. John the Baptist" a remnant of the Gnostics. The Churches be longing to these sects are some of the most interesting features of the town. The most important Muslim building is the great Mosque, formerly a Christian Church. The streets consist of narrow undrained lanes. The houses are made either of sundried bricks or of local stone set in gypsum cement. The river is here 675 yards broad and is crossed by a bridge of boats. Mosul is the centre of an ancient agricultural district and the town is the chief market for the local products of cereals, fruit, sheep and goats. There are a large number of flour mills. Although the city no longer produces muslin, to which it originally gave the name, a good deal of weaving is still done there. As a natural corollary of the live stock production of the neighbourhood con siderable leather work is done, especially shoe making and tan ning. The metal workers of Mosul have also acquired a just fame, especially the sect of St. John the Baptist already referred to. In exchange for these products Mosul imports cotton goods, iron and copper, and carpets. The position of Mosul trade is how ever seriously hampered by geographical conditions and by a lack of modern communications. So long as trade was conducted by ancient and primitive methods the position of Mosul was very favourable. It lies on the Tigris valley road to Aleppo, the best road to the west, avoiding the danger of the Bedouins. It com
municates with the Persian gulf by the Tigris river or the river road, via Baghdad; there are communications with Samsun on the Black Sea by mule or waggon to Diarbekr, and from that point on rafts down the Tigris. Mosul also lies on a caravan route to Persia via Erbid and Rowandiz. It must not be supposed that caravan methods of transport are obsolete in this region ; within the last year a new route has been opened up into Persia via Rowandiz, the caravans taking up tea and returning with almonds and dried fruits, but this caravan route short circuits Mosul and goes to railhead at Kerkuk. The trade of Mosul looks mainly southwards towards 'Iraq and the Persian gulf and in this direc tion it is singularly badly equipped. To the north and west Mosul is neither worse off nor better than most of the other towns and it can pick up railhead at Aleppo. South however it is in a bad position. Down the Tigris to railhead at Shergat is a desert road through an uninhabited country. The trade down the river is limited to downstream traffic, excellent for the export of Mosul's grain, but not permitting a return trade. The foothill road passes by populous centres, and has a railhead at Kerkuk. If the rail way is continued through Erbil to Mosul as has been suggested, Mosul will then have an outlet for her trade in the natural direc tion and is likely to prove one of the most important producing centres in 'Iraq, and to revive its importance for the southern trade and also as a railhead for northern Mesopotamia and Kurdi stan.
Office Reports (annually) H. C. Luke, Mosul and its Minorities 1925.