and if the Germans had a million men at Constantinople
they could not, under present conditions, add many, if any, to the
numbers already opposed to us. But the free transit of coal, flour,
ammunition and big guns might well put us all in the cart--the cart
being in this instance, the sea."

My A.D.C. has brought me an irritated message from the A.G., War
Office:--

* * * * *

"Your No. M.F.A. 4003 of the 24th instant. Are you aware that your
telegram was really a demand for 60,000 men with a weekly supply in
addition. We do not see how to meet such large numbers in view of the
present situation in France. Have the numbers at Base, Alexandria, and
men returning from hospital, etc., been taken into account? Please state
what are your minimum requirements to carry on with."

Am I aware, etc.? Why certainly; _and so is the A.G._ To ignore facts is
one thing; to be ignorant of them is another. These facts are, or should
be, the daily bread of his Department. I resent this surprise; it is not
genuine. If, as the A.G. says, they have not got the men to send, why in
God's name do they go on telling the people they _have_ got them?

Have drafted out this answer:--

* * * * *

"A.G. My telegram No. M.F.A. 4003 told you the number required to bring
and keep all formations up to establishment and, as an estimate, the
numbers given therein are accurate. There is nothing new in that
telegram; it is only the culmination of many demands, the deficiency,
which was serious enough before, being aggravated by the prevailing
epidemic. I took into account the numbers in Base depots and men
returning from hospital. I certainly hope that there may be a decrease
in the sick rate and that there will be an increase in the numbers
returning from hospital, but that cannot make any difference to my
present shortage of establishment though it would affect the strength of
monthly drafts required.

"I would like further to point out that only 750 of the 20,000 drafts
now coming are for the Territorial Force, the remainder being for the
Regulars. Hence assuming that wastage will be equally distributed over
all the eight divisions, the estimated shortage of 30,490 on 9th October
will be constituted as follows:--Four Territorial Force divisions,
26,583; four Regular divisions, 3,907.

"When my No. M.F.A. 4003 was sent no question had arisen of denuding my
force for a fresh expediti