p to
Paris with a special message to the French Government -- Sent on
a fool's errand, thanks to the Cabinet -- A notable State paper
on the subject -- Mr. Lloyd George and the "sanhedrin" --
Decision to evacuate only Anzac and Suvla -- Sir W. Robertson
arrives and orders sent to evacuate Helles -- I give up the
appointment of D.M.O.

CHAPTER VI

SOME EXPERIENCES IN THE WAR OFFICE...................... 107

A reversion to earlier dates -- The statisticians in the winter
of 1914-15 -- The efforts to prove that German man-power would
shortly give out -- Lack of the necessary premises upon which to
found such calculations -- Views on the maritime blockade -- The
projects for operations against the Belgian coast district in
the winter of 1914-15 -- Nature of my staff -- The "dug-outs" --
The services of one of them, "Z" -- His care of me in foreign
parts -- His activities in other Departments of State -- An
alarming discovery -- How "Z" grappled with a threatening
situation -- He hears about the Admiralty working on the Tanks --
The cold-shouldering of Colonel Swinton when he raised this
question at the War Office in January 1915 -- Lord Fisher
proposes to construct large numbers of motor-lighters, and I am
told off to go into the matter with him -- The Baltic project --
The way it was approached -- Meetings with Lord Fisher -- The
"beetles" -- Visits from the First Sea Lord -- The question of
secrecy in connection with war operations -- A parable -- The
land service behind the sea service in this matter -- Interviews
with Mr. Asquith -- His ways on such occasions.

CHAPTER VII

FURTHER EXPERIENCES IN THE WAR OFFICE................... 127

Varied nature of my responsibilities -- Inconvenience caused by a
Heath-Caldwell being a brother-Director on the General Staff --
An interview with Lord Methuen -- The Man of Business -- His
methods when in charge of a Government Department -- War Office
branches under Men of Business -- The art of advertisement --
This not understood by War Office officials -- The paltry staff
and accommodation at the disposal of the Director of Supplies and
Transport, and what was accomplished -- Good work of the
Committee of Imperial Defence in providing certain organizations
for special purposes before the w