2 OCTOBER 1959, Page 26

SIR,—Hugh Thomas's claim to have coined the term 'Establishment' in

1954 is, though no doubt sincere, mistaken. I heard the word used in its current sense by Asa Briggs in January, 1953. And Mr. Briggs's reference on that occasion was to 'what is sometimes called "the Establishment" '—so he was not coining the expression either. Is there any hope of finding out, through your correspondence columns, who did?---- Yours faithfully,