718 
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL 
control of the Chief Cable Censor, who is a senior officer of the General Staff at the War 
Office, and (2) the Postal Censorship, controlled by the Chief Postal Censor. In addition 
to some 120 cables and wireless stations in various parts of the Empire the Chief Cable Cen- 
sor controls in the United Kingdom messages sent over the cables of the private cable com- 
panies. Every twenty-four hours from 30,000 to 50,000 telegrams pass thorough the hands 
of the censors of the United Kingdom. Exclusive of those in the official Press Bureau, 
about 180 censors are employed in the United Kingdom in the censorship of cables; else- 
where in the Empire about 400. In the United Kingdom with few exceptions they are 
retired naval and military officers. 
The Memorandum further states that the objects of the Postal Censorship are similar to 
those of the Cable Censorship. All mails that have to be censored are necessarily subject to 
some delay, but harmless letters, whether private or commercial, are not detained, even 
when coming from an enemy country or addressed to an enemy person. No letter, however, 
addressed to an enemy country can be transmitted unless its envelope is left open and is 
enclosed in a cover addressed to a neutral country. Letters in which any kind of code or secret 
writing is used are liable to be detained even if the message appears to be harmless and 
totally unconnected with the war. In the private branch more than a ton of mail matter 
is censored every week, exclusive of parcels. Commercial correspondence with certain 
foreign countries is dealt with in the trade branch and amounts to nearly four tons every 
week 
There are still a number of packages of publications held for individuals 
and institutions in the United States which could be had if proper application 
were made. Forms for this purpose are given below. Form A should be 
used where the contents are known. In the event the contents are not known 
but it is supposed that there are packages held in London, Form B should 
be made out in a general way and forwarded to the Librarian of Congress for 
his endorsement. After he has certified that it is in good order, it will be 
returned to the individual making the application, by whom it should at 
once be forwarded to the Procurator General in London through the Ameri- 
can Consul General at the same place, Mr. Robert P. Skinner. 
Form A. To he used where the contents 
of the consignment are known. 
APPLICATION FOR RELEASE OF SHIPMENT DETAINED BY THE 
BRITISH AUTHORITIES 
comprising certain books of a philosophical, scientific, technical, or educational character, 
specifically destined for universities, colleges or public bodies in the United States. 
191 
To the Honorable 
The Procurator General 
London, England. 
Respectfully represents the undersigned: 
1. That he is of the 
2. That such institution is a \ College 
(Public Body 
