20 DECEMBER 1940, Page 5

The small but progressive reduction in the total of civilian

air-raid deaths-6,954 in September, 6,334 in October, 4,588 in November—is satisfactory, though the number is dis- tressingly high. The November figures included the inten- sified raids on Coventry and other provincial towns, and unless there is a severe recrudescence of these in what remains of December this month should show a further reduction again. That is partly due to the weather, for it has to be recognised that our anti-night bomber measures have not come into operation on any considerable scale as early as was hoped. But confidence in their ultimate efficacy seems to be undiminished. * * * *