Your telegram 324 of 17th October [1]: Should the President [2]
decide to send United States warships to visit Australia, they
would be assured of a warm welcome.

The President's desire at present to avoid commitments or
publicity about staff conversations is considered wise. In view of
this, the question of co-ordination of air operations in the
south-west Pacific might well be deferred pending staff
conversations. General R.A.A.F. policy in the Pacific has been to
implement the decisions of the 1939 New Zealand Defence
Conference. [3]

Until more definite arrangements are made for staff conferences,
it is considered inadvisable to send Commodore Boucher [4] to
Washington. It is proposed, however, to send Commander H. M.

Burrell, R.A.N. [5], who has full knowledge of Australian naval
plans and resources. He has been Director of Plans at Navy Office
and has the full confidence of the Naval Board and is in position
to advise on Australian naval problems. Burrell would travel by
air, arriving San Francisco November 13th and Washington November
18th.

Air Board are sending their appreciation of the air situation to
Air Vice-Marshal Goble [6] who will be able to give technical
advice on air matters.

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