I have received a telegram from my Government stating that they
have had in preparation a review of the nature desired in the
Commonwealth Government's telegram No. 281 of the 11th June [1],
but that recent rapid changes in the situation have made the
material collected unreliable and likely to convey a misleading
picture as matters stand. In the circumstances, it seems to them
that the best course is to defer an attempt to appreciate the
position until the situation becomes clearer and a more reliable
estimate can be given of the relevant factors.

My Government are, of course, most anxious to supply any
information that can usefully be given to assist you in forming a
clear picture of the general situation and, as you will be aware,
they do as occasion offers send appreciations of particular
aspects of the problem. They are, however, clear that in present
circumstances detailed numerical calculations on the comparative
basis suggested by you would not be sufficiently reliable to
assist you in forming any conclusions. They full[y] appreciate the
importance attached to the reconstitution of the Second A.I.F. and
will keep this constantly in mind.

GEOFFREY WHISKARD