3 DECEMBER 1965, Page 12

The Military Balance

Sia,—Your reference in 'Spectator's Notebook' of November 19, commenting on our annual ,Military Balance, suggests that 'It would be most valuable in the proliferation debate for the layman to have specific information on just how near various coun- tries are to producing their own nuclear weapons.' We have had this concern in the front of our own minds for the 'past year, and have produced a new book on the subject aimed to answer just this question, Must the Bomb Spread?, by Leonard Beaton, to, be published by Penguins on January 8.

ALASTAIR BUCHAN

Institute for Strategic Studies, 18 Adam Street, London, WC2 Director