BRITAIN THE BESIEGER
Snt,—May I take exception to the heading in your correspondence columns "The Siege of Britain "? For a "fortress" to be besieged it must be surrounded by the enemy in such a way that ordinary methods of communication with the outside world are impossible, food and reinforcements of men and material being cut off from the besieged garrison. Such, thank God, is not the case with Britain ; we still command the seas, thousands of troops and unlimited supplies are landing daily at our ports, whilst we in turn can ship our products, and when need be our forces to all parts of the world. We are in no sense " besieged " and the use of this and similar terms is likely to produce a wrong mentality amongst some of your readers. Already we are thinking far too much in terms of defence and defensive measures, though very necessary, will never bring victory. Our opponent may, as Doctor Shackleton Bailey says, be "flushed with victory" but he is by no means "Free to concentrate all his destructive energies" upon this island—they will be required in many other places and for many varied purposes. Let all our thoughts and efforts be directed to the "attack" whenever and wherever that may be possible, and let us hear no more about besieged garrisons.—
The Vicarage, Lytham, Lancs.
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