-2- facilities as at November, 1943; (C) the assumption that transport facilities continue at the same low level as in December, 1943, although it is recognised that this is improbable in the absence of abnormal weather and sickness. None of them makes any allowance for the effect on transport and export requirements if operations in N.W. Europe begin before the end of the coal year, i.e. 30th April, 1944. It will be seen from the Annex that the previously approved distributed stock of 12.1 million tons will become, under estimate (A), 11.