he said he was convinced
our best plan would be to go for the South of the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Now he has, in fact, very much shifted his ground under the influence of
a new consideration, "(which I only learned after leaving Lemnos) that
the Turks now have guns or howitzers on the Asiatic side which could
actually command our transports should they anchor off Morto Bay." "As I
told you," he says, "after thinking it out thoroughly, I was convinced
our best plan would be to go for the South of the Gallipoli Peninsula,"
but now he continues, he finds his Staff "all seem to be keen on a
landing somewhere between Saros Bay and Enos. For this I have no use, as
though I think we should doubtless be able to effect a landing there
pretty easily, yet I do not see that we shall be any 'forrarder' by
doing so. We might put ourselves in front of the Bulair Lines, but there
would be far less object in attacking them and working South-west with
the Navy only partially able to help us, than by working up from the
other end with the Navy on either flank."

Birdwood himself rather inclines towards a landing on the Asiatic side,
for preference somewhere South of Tenedos. The attractive part of his
idea is that if we did this the Turks must withdraw most of their mobile
artillery from the Peninsula to meet us, which would give the Navy just
the opportunity they require for mine-sweeping and so forcing the
Narrows forthwith. They know they can give the superstition of old Forts
being stronger than new ships its quietus if only they can clear a
passage through the minefield. There are forts and forts, ships and
ships, no doubt. But from what we have done already the sailors know
that our ships here can knock out those forts here. But first they must
tackle the light guns which protect the minefield from the sweepers.
Birdwood seems to think we might dominate the Peninsula from the country
round Chunuk. In his P.S. he suggests that anyway, if we are beaten off
in our attempt to land on the Peninsula we may have this Asiatic scheme
in our mind as a second string. Disembarkation plans already made would
"probably be suitable _anywhere_ with very slight modifications. We
might perhaps even think of this--if we try the other first and can't
pull it off?"

In my answer, I say I am still for taking the shortest, most direct
route to my objective, the Narrows.

First, because "I have no roving commission to conquer Asia Minor." My
instructions