Letter from Geoffrey Ingram Taylor, regarding three papers [attributed] 'On the natural frequencies of vibrating systems' by Richard Vynne Southwell, 'The friction of lubricated metals' by Frank Philip Bowden and L Leben, and 'The air wave surrounding an expanding sphere' by Geoffrey Ingram Taylor Sectional Committee: Physics Frank Philip Bowden and L Leben have been in contact, and ask if their paper can be considered for the Philosophical Transactions, rather than shortening it for the Proceedings. Regarding his own paper, it deals with explosions, without using the term. He does not think publication will help the enemy, but their scientific thinkers may be thinking along the same lines already, 'and it might prevent them from wasting time if it were published now'. [Published in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society of London'] Endorsed on recto as received 5 December 1939. 5 December 1939