Your memorandum 291 [1] raises important issues. These telegrams
are essential to our work as they provide us by the quickest means
with a range of background information from British posts all over
the world which we cannot yet hope to do more than supplement in
particular contexts from our own sources.

We doubt whether a workable distinction can really be drawn
between the relative importance of different kinds of subject
matter. It would be extremely difficult to establish to
everybody's satisfaction even a broad test of what is urgent or
important enough to be transmitted by telegram and what should be
left for inclusion in a summary.

If there is to be any reduction, either because of staff or
expense, we would prefer to see a reduction in the length of
telegrams rather than the elimination of particular subjects.

Provided that we have the substance of proposals and facts that
are current, we can always ask for further information.

The proposal has deeper implications. The London talks appear to
us to have confirmed the present policy of informing and
consulting the Dominions in preference to any tighter system of
centralised responsibility under some imperial arrangement. [2]
The corollary of this is a full and rapid flow of information.

At the next meeting you should express our appreciation of the
range of information which is at present sent to us in these
telegrams and say that if weekly summaries incorporating
additional information could be sent we would be glad to receive
them. As far as Australia is concerned, however, there is very
little in the present telegrams which we feel can be excluded. If
some reduction is essential, perhaps this could be made in the
length of telegrams, on the assumption of course that the
substance of these is still telegraphed. You could add that if
other Dominions do not feel any special interest in particular
subjects they could indicate these to the Dominions Office which
need not then repeat them to the Dominions concerned.

If the question of sharing costs is raised this aspect should be
referred to us before any commitment is undertaken.'