21 JANUARY 1944, Page 14

LE MOT JUSTE "

S IR, —I submit respectfully that Mr. F. D. Merralls's suggestion that we speak of "coventrating " instead of " hamburging " will not quite do. " To coventrate" is to devastate 5 per cent. of a centre of war produc- tion. "To hamburg " is to devastate very nearly 75 per cent.—Yours