The official announcement issued in London said:

The Minister of Supply, Mr. Aubrey Jones, has received a report from Air Vice-Marshal W. E. Oulton, Commander of the Task Force, and Mr. W. R. J. Cook, scientific director of the trials, that the first explosion of a nuclear device in the present series took place today at a high altitude in the Central Pacific. .

Scientific records are being collected for accurate evaluation. A further statement will' be made in due course.

THE WATCHERS.-The explosion was observed from a ring of naval vessels, which had made sure that the lonely Pacific reaches chosen for the test were clear 

THE POLICY.-The surprise explosion, at least three weeks ahead of original calculations, was the result of a direction from the Prime Minister.