20 JULY 1951, Page 5

The idea of a naval coup de main must always

have an appeal for the British, and the project for asserting our right of passage in the Suez Canal by sending a tanker through it under naval escort has at first sight a kind of Amethystine attraction. I should, have thought, however, that it was not an operation calculated to arouse enthusiasm in the Royal Navy. The passage of the Canal occupies about sixteen hours, and the Egyptians, even if they took no more aggressive action, could easily close it with mines. There are not many ways open to Mr. Morrison of making us look sillier than we do already, but I cannot hell) feeling that this is one of them.

STRI K.