ar-led me on
tour during my Australian inspection, was keeping an eye on the "Boys."
The work of the Australians and Senegalese gave us a good object lesson
of the relative brain capacities of the two races. Next I went and
inspected the Armoured Car Section of the Royal Naval Division under
Lieutenant-Commander Wedgwood. He is a mighty queer chap. Took active
part in the South African War. Afterwards became a pacifist M.P.; here
he is again with war paint and tomahawk. Give me a Pacifist in peace and
a Jingo in war. Too often it is the other way about.

All this took me on to 5.30 p.m. and when I came back on board,
Hunter-Weston was here. He has been out since last night on H.M.S.
_Dartmouth_ to inspect the various landing places. His whole tone about
the Expedition has been transformed. Now he has become the most sanguine
of us all. He has great hopes that we shall have Achi Baba in our hands
by sunset on the day of landing. If so he thinks we need have no fear
for the future.

All is worked out now and I do not quite see how we could improve upon
our scheme with the means at our disposal. If these "means" included a
larger number of boats and steam launches, then certainly, by
strengthening our forces on either flank, viz., at Morto Bay (where we
are sending only one Battalion) and at a landing under the cliffs a mile
West of Krithia (where we are sending one Battalion), we should greatly
better our chances. Also, a battery of field guns attached to the Morto
Bay column, and a couple of mountain guns added to the Krithia column
would add to our prospects of making a real big scoop. But we cannot
spare the sea transport except by too much weakening and delaying the
landing at the point of the Peninsula; nor dare I leave myself without
any reserve under my own hand. I am inclined, all the same, to squeeze
one Marine Battalion out of the Naval Division to strengthen our threat
to Krithia. Hunter-Weston will be in executive command of everything
South of Achi Baba; Birdwood of everything to the North.

I went very closely with Hunter-Weston into the question of a day or
night attack. My own leanings are in favour of the first boat-loads
getting ashore before break of dawn, but Hunter-Weston is clear and
strong for daylight. There is a very strong current running round the
point; the exact lie of the beaches is unknown and he thinks the
confusion inseparable from any landing will be so aggravated by
attempting it in t