or all papers of any interest were removed to
Antwerp when the Government left. The higher officials who were still
here were kept in the buildings to witness the search--a needless
humiliation. There is talk now of a search of the British Legation, but
we have heard nothing of it and expect that will not be done without
asking our permission first.

* * * * *

_Brussels, August 22, 1914._--Another day with much to do and no great
results.

This morning, at 7 o'clock, General von Jarotzky arrived at the Legation
and was all smiles. It appears that my action, in making known my
displeasure at his behaviour and that of his staff, had a good effect.
We have heard, from several sources, that he blew up everybody in sight
yesterday afternoon when he came out from the Burgomaster's office and
learned that I had departed in bad temper. He knows that nobody dares to
oppose his acts or views, but just the same he gave them fits for not
having made me stay and attend to my case. Be that as it may, he
appeared with his Chief of Staff, and sent up a message that brought the
Minister down in his pajamas and dressing gown. He expressed great
regret for the "misunderstanding" of yesterday evening, and assured the
Minister that there would be no further cause for complaint on our part.
He had in his hand the telegram which we had sent him the evening
before--the very same telegram which we had been trying to get off ever
since the German occupation of the city. He had signed each page of the
message, and had affixed his stamp with an order that it be immediately
transmitted. He explained to the Minister that the best thing to do was
for him to take it in person to the office of the Director of the Bureau
of Telegraphs, who had already received instructions on the subject.

[Illustration: Pass issued by General von Jarotzky, the first German
commander in Brussels, to enable Mr. Gibson to go through the lines to
Antwerp.]

The servants were thrown into a perfect panic by the arrival of the
_Generaux_. It took some argument to convince them that the Germans
would hardly need to send two generals to take them into custody, even
if they had any reason to desire them as prisoners.

About ten o'clock I was starting to go down to the telegraph office, to
send the messages, when the Spanish Minister drove up in his big green
car with the Spanish flag flying at the fore. We told him our st