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Views of the Post Office.

6. The time when information obtained by censorship is likely to be of the greatest value is during the period of strained relations immediately before the outbreak of war. In time of war censorship is likely to be of more value in preventing the enemy from receiving information.

Apart from the special activity of foreign agents collecting and transmitting intelligence at such a time, the volume of correspondence is likely to be increased in consequence of the general excitement.

Any steps for censoring postal correspondence during strained relations would have to be taken secretly, for, putting aside the desirability of avoiding anything tending to increase public anxiety at home or irritation abroad on such occasions, were the slightest breath of suspicion aroused, the stream of intelligence would be diverted to other, and no less rapid, channels.

The greater the need for secrecy, however, the more restricted the censorship must become.

7. During the period of strained relations, so long as an immediate declaration of war has not been decided upon, the postal isolation of any particular locality by the suspension of the despatch of mails or by marked delays in their delivery does not promise useful results. The mere fact of such a suspension of communication would immediately convey the intelligence to a prospective enemy that important events were in progress, and early confirmation of the news by other channels could scarcely be prevented.

8. The only step, therefore, which it seems practicable to take during the period of strained relations is the secret censorship of the correspondence of suspected persons, and of correspondence in particular classes of business transactions which, in the opinion of the naval and military authorities, may have a connection with warlike intentions, and the effectiveness of this measure depends on the knowledge on the part of the naval and military authorities of foreign agents in the United Kingdom and of their correspondents abroad.

For putting into force the measures referred to in this paragraph the powers at present possessed by the Home Secretary are ample, and they can be set in motion promptly at the request of the Admiralty or War Office, and their execution by the Post Office presents no difficulty once they are authorized, always provided that the naval and military authorities can supply the necessary information as to suspected persons, and firms interested in the transactions referred to above.

9. After a declaration of war there would no longer be any necessity for secrecy, and all or any of the measures outlined above (paragraph 5) might be taken. Whether the volume of foreign correspondence on the outbreak of war is increased or diminished we should still require a large staff if it were decided to enforce a complete censorship over foreign correspondence notwithstanding the commercial loss and inconvenience which would be occasioned thereby both to ourselves and to neutrals. The General Post Office are of opinion that they could censor correspondence to one or two countries, but not to every country in Europe.

Mail Communication with the Enemy Country.

10. The Sub-Committee have considered whether it is desirable to prohibit the despatch of all postal matter to an enemy country in time of war. Some historical notes based on material compiled by the General Staff and in the General Post Office are attached in Appendix IV. From these it will be seen that in past wars from 1793 to the present time it has never been the policy of this country to prohibit postal communication with the enemy country.

In considering this question the attention of the Sub-Committee has been drawn to the recommendations regarding Trading with the Enemy contained in the Report of Lord Desart's Sub-Committee (C.I.D. Paper 160-B) and approved by the Committee of Imperial Defence at the 120th Meeting held on the 6th December, 1912. Although the general policy approved is to prohibit trade with the enemy at the outset of a war, certain exceptions are provided for. For example, the conclusion of financial obligations entered into prior to the outbreak of war, and the payment of dividends,

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