existence. They, as it
happened, came to be none too well equipped, and it was a pity perhaps
that we had not undertaken somewhat heavier obligations in connection
with these sorely tried Allies of ours and thereby ensured their being
properly clothed. A fresh Convention was drawn up in London in
September 1918, under which we accepted somewhat increased
responsibilities, and Brigadier-General the Hon. C. G. Fortescue was
sent out to look after matters in Macedonia in the Serbian interest.
The end came, however, before the arrangements made could exercise any
appreciable effect during the actual fighting; but I believe that good
work has been done since that date.

Considering the exceedingly burdensome character of our liabilities in
connection with maintaining the associated forces of the Entente in
Macedonia for the space of three years--for practical purposes we had
to find pretty well all the food, and we had, moreover, to get the
food (and almost everything else) to Salonika in our ships, which paid
heavy toll to enemy submarines during the process--it was a faulty
arrangement that the chief command out there was not reposed in
British hands. To press for it would have been awkward, seeing that
the chief command in the Dardanelles operations that had proved so
abortive had rested with us; and it was, moreover, perfectly well
known in Paris that the military authorities in this country looked
askance at the whole business and that our Government entertained
doubts on the subject. Had the operations been conducted by a British
commander-in-chief they might not have been attended by greater
success than they actually were, but, considering the strength of the
mixed forces which remained locked up so long in this barren field of
endeavour, they could hardly have proved less effective than they
actually were for nearly three years.

CHAPTER XVII

THE PRESS

The constant newspaper attacks upon the War Office -- Often arise
from misunderstandings or sheer ignorance -- The mistake made
with regard to war correspondents at the start -- The pre-war
intentions of the General Staff -- How they were set on one side
-- Inconvenience of this from the War Office point of view -- A
breach of faith -- The mischievous optimism of newspapers in the
early days -- Tendency of the military authorities to conceal bad
news -- Experts at fault in the Press -- Tendency to take the
Pr