in advance of the two scouts which came racing up at the tail of the
hunt. Our old tub had got well within the water-area by the time that
these latter sleuths approached, and their track passed astern of us;
but at the last moment one of them pivoted round, just as a Canadian
canoe will pivot round in the hands of an artist, and came tearing
along after us--it may have been to look at us or it may merely have
been to show off--passed us on the port hand not more than a cable's
length off as if we were standing still, shot across our bows, and was
off like a flash after her consort. Of those battle-cruisers that
looked so imposing as they rushed along towards the Firth of Forth
that forenoon, at least one was to meet her fate before many days had
passed. The Battle of Jutland was fought about three weeks later.

CHAPTER XV

THE RUSSIAN BUNGLE

The Russian Revolution the worst disaster which befell the
Entente during the Great War -- The political situation in Russia
before that event much less difficult to deal with than had been
the political situation in the Near East in 1915 -- The Allies'
over-estimate of Russian strength in the early months of the war
-- We hear first about the ammunition shortage from Japan --
Presumable cause of the breakdown -- The Grand Duke Nicholas's
difficulties in the early months -- Great improvement effected in
respect to munitions subsequent to the summer of 1915 -- Figures
-- Satisfactory outlook for the campaign of 1917 -- Political
situation goes from bad to worse -- Russian Mission to London; no
steps taken by our Government -- Our representatives in Russia --
Situation at the end of 1916 -- A private letter to Mr. Lloyd
George -- The Milner Mission to Russia -- Its failure to
interpret the portents -- Had Lord Kitchener got out it might
have made all the difference -- Some excuse for our blundering
subsequent to the Revolution -- The delay in respect to action in
Siberia and at Vladivostok.

Incomparably the most grievous disaster met with by the Entente during
the progress of the Great War was the Russian Revolution of March
1917. All the other mishaps, great and small, which the Allies had to
deplore--the occupation of Belgium and of wide areas of France by
German hosts at the very outset, the collapse of the Emperor
Nicholas's legions in Poland in 1915, the Dardanelles failure,