IOR/R/15/2/171

The file concerns the effects of the implementation of controls on the import and export of food and other commodities in Bahrain and the Trucial Coast during the Second World War (1939-45).

The main correspondents are the Political Agent, Bahrain (Edward Birkbeck Wakefield); the Government of India; the Political Resident in the Persian Gulf; the Residency Agent, Sharjah; the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave); the Food Controller, Bahrain (Claud Cranbrook Lewis deGrenier); and the Director of Customs and Port Officer, Bahrain (also deGrenier).

The papers include: Food Controller's report for the year 1941 (folios 2-9); correspondence between Petroleum Concessions (Qatar) Limited, and the Political Agent, Bahrain concerning difficulties caused by the curtailment of the company's supplies by the Food Controller, Bahrain (folios 10-29); the legal implications of hoarding, and related matters (folios 31-33); report by the Food Controller on stocks of food in Bahrain (folio 42); report on control of exports from Bahrain (folios 51-52); statistics of average monthly consumption of staple commodities in Bahrain, and minimum annual requirements of foodstuffs and textiles (folios 61-63); copy of regulation making all exports dependent on the permission of the Food Controller (folios 68-70); the support of the Political Agent, Bahrain for a petition from a group of merchants to allow the re-export of piece goods (folios 75-77); correspondence from the Residency Agent, Sharjah detailing commodities required for consumption on the Trucial Coast; correspondence concerning acute shortages of wheat and flour in Bahrain; correspondence concerning 'famine' conditions on the coast of Persia (e.g. folios 96-98); an estimate of the wartime increase in the cost of living in Bahrain (folio 107); the difficulties faced by Bahrain merchants in exporting goods to India, including an allegation that they needed to give bribes to customs officials at Karachi (folios 158-159, 163-165); a confidential memorandum critical of the Food Controller, Bahrain (folio 169); the use of Bahrein Petroleum Company (BAPCO) tankers for the transportation of foodstuffs (e.g. folios 185-186); and the effect on Bahrain of food shortages in India (folio 220).

The Arabic language content of the volume consists of a single letter (with English translation) on folio 90.

The date range gives the covering dates of the correspondence; the last addition to the file is an entry in the notes on folio 279 dated 9 August 1942.