52
acore.
As regards the fifteen (Gladiators (see your
telegram No. 140, of 4th October) Hawkers local agents have
put in their offer and all we are waiting for is a
pronouncement from London regarding the "delivery" assurance.
I have seen a letter from the Air Attachéiin Paris
anowing clearly that the Air Ministry are ready to make these
machines available. In that case, I can only hope that the
required assurance will be forthcoming without a moment's
unnecessary delay. The longer we have to wait for it, the
muddier the outlook so far as our relations with the
Portuguese Dovernment are concerned. My letter to Mounsey
ought to make it reasonably clear that hesitation is scarcely
Justified not, anyhow, on the grounds put forward to the
Portuguese Ambassador in London.
This, as the bag closes.
Please excuse haste.
Yours ever,
(8gd.) £.H. Bateman.
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