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AS THE NEXT BEST COURSE.

1. HOPSON MAY, OF COURSE, BE RIGHT: BUT IT REMAINS A MATTER FOR CONJECTURE. MY OBJECTIONS BRIEFLY AREs-

(A) WHETHER SUCCESSFUL OR NOT, TO RELEASE THESE TWO MEN UNCONDITIONALLY NOW WOULD NOT ONLYUBE AN ACT OF FAITH BUT AN ACT OF SUBMISSION. AS SUCH, IT MIGHT BE SWALLOWED LOCALLY ONCE BUT HAVING SUBMITTED ONCE IT BECOMES HARDER TO RESIST FURTHER

BUBMISSIONS WITH PROGRESSIVELY MORE DAMAGE TO CONFIDENCE. (B) IF UNSUCCESSFUL, OUR ACTION WOULD BE THAT MUCH MORE OPEN TO CRITICISM LOCALLY, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO HELP GREY WOULD HAVE GREATLY RECEDED.

FO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY PEKING,

SIR D. TRENCH

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

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