I have experienced this week an instance of what I
first identified as red tape. I had despatched by registered post, for the consideration of a publisher in New York, a carbon copy of a book which I had just completed. This package was detained by His Majesty's Customs and Excise, who informed me that before the package could be forwarded I must complete Form C.D.3 show- ing that payment had been, or would be, made within the terms of Notice to Exporters No. 6. From sub-form No. 82M2685-I 500 FO, which was also enclosed, I learnt that "if no payment is to be received the Form C.D.3 must be completed and signed and the Bank of England's approval of the exportation should be endorsed thereon." I pointed out in reply that a manuscript submitted to the consideration of a foreign publisher could not accurately be described as " goods " or " merchandise " but would more properly be designated as a "sample." I added that I found myself in even greater difficulty in complying honourably with sub-form 82M2685-I 500 FO. On the one hand I could not state on an official form that no payment would be received, since, if the publisher accepted my manuscript, I earnestly hoped that large payments would be received. Conversely, I could not state that payment would be received, since, if the publisher rejected the manuscript, no contract of sale would be entered into. I received in reply a hand-written note from the official concerned telling me in effect not to fuss about details but to fill up the form as best I could. I then realised that it was I and not he who was displaying "excessive formality" and "mechanical adherence." And that in unpardonable irritation with a perfectly reasonable regulation I had unnecessarily troubled a busy official and thereby shown myself deficient in civic worth.
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