Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-15
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

"MosuI, one of the cities of 6eso- potamia which entertained high ex- pectations of revived commercial im- pertance as result of the stimulus to be afforded by the completion of the great trade artery of the near east, the Bagdad Railway, has been brought suddenly into the foreground of the world war by the Russian operations which are reported to be duplicating here the successes achieved previous ly at Fsrzerum and Trebdzond" says a war geography bulletin issued by the National Geographic Society from its Washington headquarters,
 This town of about 50,0o0 people, three fourths of whom are moslems. 2 continues the bulletin, eis situated on the right bank of the Tigris, 220 miles above Bagdad, and just oposite the ex- tensive ruins of the great Assyrian capital of Nineveh. The Great Mos que, with it's odd leaning nnfnaret, is the chief architectural feature Of this otherwise unimpressive looking city with it's cruTabEing limestone walls en- closing cemeteries that occupy almost as much space as the habftations of the living.
 ''The Suez Canal long ago diverted much of MosuPs caravan commerce, but the town is still distributing point for northern Mesopotamia. Sup planting in importance the locally manufactured woolen and cotton fa- brfcs which received the name of muslin from the city, the chief ar tiele of export today Is gallnuts, gath cred in the adjacent mountains. This peculiar parastitic product has medi- cinal properties utilized in an astring- ent ointment, and it is also an import ant ingredient of certain dyes and black inks.
 "One of the physical peculiartties of Mosul is the bridge over the Tigris, connecting this one-time suburb of ancient Nineveh with the ruins of the parent city. One sixth of the bridge | is an ordinary span which joins the right bank and grnall island. Be- yoIld the island the traveller crosses the wider branch-of the river by I means of a pontoon or boat bridge. As the high waters of May are now receding the Tigris will soon uncover 1 the silt enriched islands around Mos ul and by mid-summer there will be a bountiful harvest of melons and other fruit, provided the natives have had time. during their preparations for defense against the Grand Dukes army, to plant their customary crops
 Among the places of interest point ed out to the traveller in this section I on the left bank of the river, recalling ! vivtdly to mind the history of the
 mighty metropolis. founded, supposed.
 ly, by Minus and the famed SemiramiG
 more than two thousand years before | the Christian era. and to which tho prophet Jonah had been sent with 6 warning at the time of his adventure
 with the great fish
 sA4osul has undergone many vfclssi,
 tudes since it's capture by the Arabs II l the seventh century. It achieved fit I greatest prosperity during the declin. I of the caliphate. SFrians and SeItuazi helds it s1ccesasively during the fentl
 and eleventh centuries, after w1ici
 came a final hare Of splendor urde. the ruIerghip of the remarkable atas beg general, Zengt. It was this ami
 who launched from M0suI tho .1Ehad or counter -crusade against the infleI. . GEaTisaans in Palestfna. This ksru. sade resulted eventually in the over
 throw of the Western knights Of &h
 Cross who had redeemed the EfoI, st Sep1lchr from rnUsl1n hands and haa
 st ID a Kingdom in Jerusalem. Tn ana1 Acc0mplishmen Of the Mosu
 annira crusade fsll to the lot Of 4h justly renowned Saladin. son Of on of Zengis generals and a Moha1nme 1 dan ruler of many exceptional virtues
 Altar the death Of Zsng1sn hear Sal
 adm 1atd unsuccessful eiega to H6osu [ tn an effort 10 bring all Syxaa undo has dominion. In 11ET he sacceede tn exaeting homage from the city. For short time during the 1HG
 century Mosuf &Was occupied by tn l, Persians, but it was soon restored an has remained subject to ghe QttoRaas J ezanlza nR 4Q 1ae aeaelGkA 4l11aes