But did he try to establish contact at any time
before his arrival by air? Did he address a letter to Lord Clydesdale, or the Duke of Hamilton, as he became in 194o? Sir Archibald Sinclair, in the House of Commons last week, dealt rather summarily with the report that he did. " No letter from Hess to the Duke of Hamilton," said the Secretary for Air, " has reached the Duke or any responsible authority in this country." That definite statement makes it clear that no letter ever reached the Duke. It would on the whole have been surprising if it had, for it would have been the busi- ness of the postal censorship to stop it. Was there ever such a letter? Did the postal censorship stop it? If so, to whom was it handed? Sir Archibald Sinclair says it never reached " any responsible authority " in this country. But what is a responsible authority? A Minister? Could the letter have reached some authority not entitled to the dignity of the adjective? The question might still be worth pursuing—if it matters.
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