leave Alexandria, must be expected and may begin at an earlier date than the main attack by land. The advance to the Aegean has made easier the reinforcement of the enemy air forces in the Dodecanese, with which Alexandria and other towns can be attacked. If large centres of native population were bombed, serious security problems would arise for us, involving possibly the diversion of a large body of troops to keep order. The possibility of keeping the Suez Canal continually closed by mining should be borne in mind.