IOR/R/15/2/170

The volume concerns the implementation in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast of the Civil Requirements Programme Middle East. The programme was a Ministry of War Transport initiative to assess the likely civil import needs of the Middle East in view of pressure on available shipping, and the difficulties of inland transport. The papers contain monthly estimates of tonnages required in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast for the period August 1941 to June 1942. The estimates were sent to the Government of India.

The main correspondents are the Political Agent, Bahrain; the Government of India; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Residency Agent, Sharjah; the Political Officer, Trucial Coast; the Bahrain Petroleum Company Limited (BAPCO); the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain; the Food Controller, Bahrain; and the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain.

The papers include: estimated monthly tonnages for Bahrain, provided by the Government of Bahrain; detailed estimates provided by BAPCO for 1941; estimated monthly tonnages for the Trucial Coast provided by the Residency Agent, Sharjah, and the Political Officer, Trucial Coast (including detailed statements showing commodities, consignors and consignees); statistics of bulk commodities available for sale in Bahrain, and estimated period of sufficiency, issued by the Food Controller, Bahrain, July-August 1941; papers relating to the establishment of the War Transport Committee at Basra, the duties of which were to oversee the increased traffic expected in the Persian Gulf as a result of military and transit cargo needs (folios 180-183, 192-193); and some correspondence relating to individual merchants and commodities.

The Arabic language content of the volume consists of less than five folios, including bilingual Arabic and English notices issued by the Government of Bahrain.