-2- I was hopeful that the U.S. authorities would either or consent to the shipment of the total Ceylon surplus of natural rubber in the first quarter of 1943 to the U.K. In the event, this surplus has been divided equally between the U.K. and the U.S.A. while the Americans have not seen their way to agree to any undertaking about synthetic rubber. There has therefore been no allocation yet by the C.R.M.B. of future synthetic supplies. I propose however to maintain the pressure on the U.S. authorities with a view to securing at the earliest possible date a firm guarantee that our requirements will be met.