I have taken up with the British Authorities the questions raised in your minute of 17th October¹ about the discontinuance of the supply of certain meteorological reports which were furnished during the currency of the recent series of Transatlantic flights.

The position as it is understood by the British appears to be that our Government were approached in November 1938, as to the making of arrangements for the mutual exchange of reports between our Meteorological Services and the United Kingdom in time of war, and it was suggested that our Government would wish to consider the nature of the meteorological reports which they would require in those circumstances. In our reply of the 28th August, 1939, we stated that we were prepared, in the event of war, to continue the existing arrangement under which observations made at weather reporting stations in Ireland were furnished to the United Kingdom Meteorological Office on the understanding that meteorological reports and forecasts would continue to be furnished by the latter to us. In September 1939 the Officer in Charge of the Meteorological Station at Foynes asked for information from certain stations and arrangements were made to supply, as from the 15th September, the information asked for by the authorities at Foynes, and this information has continued to be supplied regularly since that date up to the present time, with the exception of the Belgian and French reports which, of course, are no longer available. In the circumstances, the United Kingdom Meteorological Office feel that so long as they go on supplying the information asked for in September 1939, in so far as it is available, they are fulfilling their part of the reciprocity arrangements.

The British Meteorological Office also point out that at the present time they receive from us reports from five stations and one auxiliary station, wind reports from two stations and no upper air temperatures. On their side they supply reports from sixteen stations, upper wind reports from five stations and send upper air temperatures twice daily. In the circumstances they feel that they have very adequately fulfilled the undertaking as to reciprocity.

They realise, of course, that certain additional reports over and above those set out in September 1939 were made available during the period of the recent Trans-Atlantic flights. These reports were, however, supplied in special circumstances which cease to operate during the winter months, and they understand that there are certain difficulties about continuing to supply them now that the flights have ceased. Nevertheless, the best way of approaching the difficulty seems to be for discussion of the requirements of the Meteorological Service to take place direct between the representatives of the two Meteorological Offices concerned. As you doubtless know, early in the year, semi-official arrangements were made for the Director of the Éire Meteorological Service² to come and discuss meteorological questions, including his requirements as to reports, with the Director of the British Meteorological Office. The proposed visit was postponed but the British still think that the best method of tackling the present problem, at least initially, is for these direct discussions between the two Services to take place.

I should be glad to know if this suggestion is acceptable.