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'File 22/1 I Miscellaneous correspondence regarding establishment of observatory at Bahrain' [‎89r] (183/612)

The record is made up of 1 file (307 folios). It was created in 20 Jun 1927-28 Apr 1938. It was written in English and Arabic. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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Copy of a D/c letter No. 1516/13-4(a) dated, the 10th
Kay 1929 from Dr.B.H.Banerji, Meteorologist Karachi,
to Lieut-Oolonel, C.0.J.Barrett,C.a.I.,0.1.1., Political
Resident in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Bushire.
Uett your Ho.375^of 1929dated the 24-4~29.
The observers have just sent me all the papers
ragarding the auestion of shifting of observatory from
its present site. As they have not sent me your proposals
for an alternative site I wish to make the following
observations for your consideration.
Paring my inspection of the observatory at Bahrein
1 had a look round the neighbourhood of the Wireless
1 IGe kad also a talk with you on the subject of a
suitable site for the observatory. I have now arranged, to
shift some of the instruments for surface observations by
arrangement with the Director, Indo-European Telegraphs
to the Wireless building. I could not however arrange to
shxit the upper air observatory to the same place as the
wireless masts will considerably obstruct the pilot balloon
work.
The observatory at Bahrein unlike most of the
stations sends up hydrogen filled pilot balloons for
measurements of Upper air velocity and. direction. To these
pilot balloons tails, 100 metres (roughly 300 feet) in
length are attached for determination of balloon heights.
IThen bhe balloon is let off from the ground it rises
vertically and at tne same time drifts horizontally
according to the strength and direction of tne wind, if there
are oostaclea near the place whence these pilot balloons -re
sent up, the tails will get entangled and make the obser
vations impossible, it is therefore essential to have a
free space of roughly 150 feet radius to ensure reasonable
percentage of successes with pilot balloon work.

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Content

The file comprises correspondence and other papers sent to and from the Bahrain Political Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , 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 A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. (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.

Extent and format
1 file (307 folios)
Arrangement

The correspondence and other papers in the file have been arranged in chronological order, from the earliest piece at the beginning, to the latest at the end. Office notes were maintained at the end of the file from December 1932 onwards (ff 275-300), and mirror the chronological order of the file papers.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: There are two incomplete foliation sequences and one complete sequence. One incomplete sequence is circled in red crayon; the other is written in pencil, in the top right corner. The complete sequence is circled in pencil, in the top right corner of each folio. It begins with the first item of correspondence, on number 1, and ends on 300, which is the last folio of writing. Foliation anomalies: no f 78; no f 104; no f 121; no ff 133-141. Letters have been used to number the following folios: f 53A; f 113A; f 113B; f 144A; f 145A; f 146A; f 153A; f 182A; f 189A; f 192A; ff 240A-D; f 269A.

Written in
English and Arabic in Latin and Arabic script
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'File 22/1 I Miscellaneous correspondence regarding establishment of observatory at Bahrain' [‎89r] (183/612), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/1689, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023598264.0x0000b8> [accessed 19 February 2025]

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