RUSSIAN ATOMIC RESEARCH

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26032, 8 February 1950, Page 5

RUSSIAN ATOMIC RESEARCH

REPORTED POSSESSION OF NEW BOMB . LONDON, February 6. Russia had made three hydrogen bombs and exploded one of them said Mr Kenneth de Courcy, editor’of a privately-circulated British publication, the “Intelligence Digest,” at Marrakesh to-day. Mr de Courcy, who said that he previously gave information of a second atomic explosion in Russia which he claimed to be correct, said to-day that Russia’s atomic industry was making rapid progress. He added: “On March 3 or March 4, barring accidents or deliberate changes, it is known that another atomic explosion is to, take place, and that it is to be followed by 10 other experiments soon after.”

The new explosion would occur in the region of latitude 40 degrees 20-30 minutes north and longitude 80 degrees 10-20 minutes east, in north-west Sinkiang. Mr de Courcy said that these tests were connected with a highly secret Russian project. Mr de Courcy was one of the five founders of the Imperial Policy Group in 1934 with the Earl of Maqsfield, Viscount Clive, Lord Phillimore, and Mr Victor Raikes, M.P. He was the group’s chief “observer of foreign affairs” in Europe and the United States from 1935 until the outbreak of war. From 1944 to 1945 he was adviser on war intelligence to the United Steel Companies. Ltd. He began issuing publications on foreign affairs and strategy in 1938. Mr de London office announced later that a series of explosions was planned to take place in the Kazakh area of Russia, on the following dates in March at the following approximate times: —March 3,2 a.m. G.M.T. (hydrogen bomb): March 5. 8 p.m. G.M.T. (two explosions); March 6, 11 .p.m. G.M.T. (one explosion): March 6. 2 p.m. G.M.T. (one explosion): March 9, 12 p.m. G.M.T. (two explosions); March 10, 8 p.m. G.M.T. (two explosions); March 25, 2 p.m. G.M.T. (two explosions). Dr. J. L. Michiels, a British authority on atomic research, and a member of the Atomic Scientists’ Association, said to-day that the statement that Russia had already constructed and exploded a hydrogen bomb appeared to him to be very extraordinary. He added: “All the statements which have toeen made so far concerning hydrogen bombs in America have emphasised that the actual work upon development and production has not yet begun, and that a good deal of work is entailed in the project. Even making allowances for the rapid development of the work in Russia, it does seem unlikely that they should have already attained such an advanced stage as is reported.”