METEOROLOGY IO9 



oradi, for recording pressure, winds, etc., at ground level and in the 

 upper air with pilot balloons. A difficulty in selecting the best 

 sites for aerodromes arises in that the direction of prevailing winds 

 at the coast is not known adequately. 



The survey department has been in charge of observations 

 relating to tides, which are important in connection with the port 

 of Takoradi, since this harbour was built. The division of meteoro- 

 logy into two sections administered by different departments is 

 somewhat unsatisfactory. It is anticipated, however, that with 

 the further development of airways, it will be necessary to estab- 

 lish a unified meteorological service in all the British territories 

 of West Africa. 



Sierra Leone has an official meteorological service as part of the 

 Department of Agriculture, organized on the same lines as that of 

 the Gold Coast. There are eleven stations for rainfall, dating back 

 sixteen years, except that at Freetown, which has a fifty-six-year 

 record. The climate has been described by Brooks (1922). As no 

 British air routes to Sierra Leone are contemplated at present, 

 the need for fully equipped meteorological stations has not yet 

 arisen. 



In the Gambia meteorological work is in charge of the Colonial 

 Secretary, and published records are scanty. There are two rain- 

 fall stations, at Bathurst and Georgetown, with records of about 

 twenty-six years. The annual rainfall is some forty inches. 



Portuguese Guinea has no official service and information is not 

 readily available. 



For Rio Muni and Fernando Po information is wholly lacking 

 beyond references in general works. The rainfall is generally very 

 heavy, particularly in the mountainous island of Fernando Po. 



Rio de Oro. This Spanish territory is climatically part of the 

 Sahara, but nothing appears to be available in print concerning 

 its meteorological development. The interior, tov/ards or beyond 

 the Mauretanian border, is difficult of access in consequence of 

 the hostile attitude of the Moorish tribes. 



In Liberia there is no regular meteorological service, but the 

 climate has been described by H. J. Coolidge (1930). 



