IOR/R/15/2/1689

The file comprises correspondence and other papers sent to and from the Bahrain Political Agency, relating to the set-up and subsequent day-to-day running of a weather observatory in Bahrain. The file begins with a letter from the head meteorologist of the India Meteorological Department in Karachi, addressed to the Political Agent (20 June 1927), stating that the Government of India, in conjunction with the London-Karachi Aviation Weather Service, wish to start an Upper Air Observatory at Bahrain (f 1). The Agent, liaising with the British Adviser to the Bahrain Government (Charles Belgrave) confirms that land adjacent to the existing telegraph office is available. He confirms that accommodation for the two weather observers is available in town (f 3).

Correspondence throughout the remainder of the file relates to the ongoing maintenance and running of the observatory. A number of themes are repeated through the file, which can be summarised as follows: the rent of land and buildings for the observatory, and accommodation for the observers; arrangements for the delivery of equipment and correspondence from India, and duty to be paid at the Bahrain customs house; medical requirements of and health checks for the observatory staff; periodic repairs to the observatory premises; damage to and theft of observatory equipment; misuse and appropriation of observatory land; proposals to erect fencing around observatory land; recruitment of local labour to manufacture weather balloons.