TWO PRESIDENTS
Sin,—! should like to express my keen appreciation of the leading article " TWo. Presidents" in this week's Spectator. May I venture to point out, however, a small slip—the reference to "the agreement on West Indian bases and the sale of the fifty destroyers "— which has occurred?
The fifty over-age U.S. destroyers were transferred to this country when, in September, 1940, an agreement was concluded whereby Great Britain received this invaluable addition to her fleet and the United States acquired the right to lease, for 99 years, naval and air bases in the North and South Atlantic. No cash payment was made by either party to the agreement and Mr. Churchill, in the House of Commons on September 5th, 1940, declared that "the exchanges which have taken place are simply measures of mutual assistance rendered to one another by two friendly nations, in a spirit of confidence, sympathy and good will."—Yours faithfully, GEOFFREY F. WARNE. :86 Old Lodge Lane, Purley, Surrey.
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