21 JANUARY 1949, Page 16

SIR,—It would be interesting to know upon what evidence, other

than hearsay, your correspondent Mr. Cyril O. Jones bases his suggestion that we " well know " the facilities afforded in Spanish ports to " the raiding German submarines." This wide generalisation is not dissimilar to the common belief that U-boats made a habit of machine-gunning sur- vivors in the water, an event which is proven in the case of a solitary U-boat, that of Kapitanleutnant Eck, who was executed for the crime. .

In the interests both of accuracy ana international amity, it is to be hoped that stories of this nature, which naturally went uncorrected in a world at war, may from now on be subjected to normal historical tests. But I suppose that this suggestion will only be taken by Mr. Jones, and by all others who look to Moscow as the fountain of truth, as adequate warranty for lumping me, as he has already lumped Mr. Milward, with " the powerful underground forces of reaction working continuously to bring about the re-establishment of Fascism in Europe."—I am, Sir, your