5 MAY 1923, Page 2

Since the Armistice £135,000,000 has been spent on Mesopotamia. The

average citizen, who has probably not the faintest idea what we have been doing there, is just as ignorant of what it has cost him. Otherwise he would probably have complained more loudly. It is, however, highly satisfactory . that Sir 'Percy Cox, the retiring High Commissioner, stated in a speech on Friday, April 27th, at-Baghdad, that he does not expect the occupation to last- for more than' four years. He would hardly have said this if he had not reason to believe that the Government regards our liabilities in Mesopotamia as strictly. _limited.