considerable standing, and in the average country should not be below the rank of colonel (or equival snt). Owing to the rather special position of British Naval Attaches, the necessity is less pressing in their case. In the past it has been customary for the War Office and the Air ministry (but not the Admiralty) to give a higher local unpaid rank to their attaches in order to give the necessary standing. Both departments would have liked to see this system abandoned. However, at the special request of the Foreign Office it will be necessary to continue unpaid local rank.