PRIVATE AND PERSONAL 2nd October, 1940. My dear C- in- C.. Lord Lothian has asked me to write to you private- ly on the base question. So far the report of the Committee representing the interests of the people of Bermuda has not been shown to the U.3. Authorities, nor has the report of Naval and Military Officers putting forward the proposal for the alter- nate base site at the Eastern JSnd of the island been shown to Admiral Oreenslade. With regard to the latter, the Ambassador is not quite clear from the Governor's letter of the 14th September whether the proposal is really sponsored by you and the Governor. Prom a study of the chart ( always liable to be mis- leading), it appears to us that the construction of the base on this site would not only be an extremely costly affair, but also a very lengthy one. What *-he Ambassador has asked me to find out quite privatly is what your personal opinion is as to the feeling of the Bermudians as a whole is, whether it really is represented by the report of the Committee, snd whether it would be possible to meet the greater part of the proposals put forward by the Greenslade mission if the "air field" could be eliminated. In conversation with Greenslade the other day, I gathered that he thought the "air field" *-8S not an essential. As you know, Greenslade does not return here till the 25th October, and the Ambassador wants, if possible, to get a clearer picture of the situation b then. He, the Ambassador thinks that in any case Greenslade should pay you another visit after he returns. Yours ever, Vice Admiral C.R.KennedyePurvis, C.B. Admiralty House, Bermuda