per diem, but the Turks who have been short of stuff
since the 8th instant are now once more well found. Admiral Thursby
tells me he himself counted 240 shells falling on one of Birdwood's
trenches in the space of ten minutes. I asked him if that amounted to
one shell per yard and he said the whole length of the trench was less
than 100 yards. On the 18th fifty heavy shells, including 12-inch and
14-inch, dropped out of the blue vault of heaven on to the Anzacs.
Everyone sorry to say good-bye to Thursby who goes to Italy.

Rumours that Winston is leaving the Admiralty. This would be an awful
blow to us out here, would be a sign that Providence had some grudge
against the Dardanelles. Private feelings do not count in war, but alas,
how grievous is this set-back to one who has it in him to revive the
part of Pitt, had he but Pitt's place. Haldane, too. Are the benefits of
his organization of our army to be discounted because they had a German
origin? _Fas est et ab hoste doceri_. Half the guns on the Peninsula
would have been scrap-iron had it not been for Haldane! But if this
turns out true about Winston, there will be a colder spirit (let them
appoint whom they will) at the back of our battleships here.

_21st May, 1915. H.M.T. "Arcadian." Imbros._ De Robeck came on board
with Lieutenant-Commander Boyle of E. 4 fame. I was proud indeed to meet
the young and modest hero. He gets the V.C.; his other two officers the
D.S.O.; his crew the D.C.M.

Also he brought with him the Reuter giving us the Cabinet changes and
the resignations of Fisher and Winston and this, in its interest, has
eclipsed even V.C.s for the moment. De Robeck reminded me that Lord K.'s
cable (begging me to help him to combat any idea of withdrawal) must
have been written that very day. A significant straw disclosing the
veering of the winds of high politics! Evidently K. felt ill at ease;
evidently he must now be sitting at a round table surrounded by masked
figures. Have just finished writing him to sympathize; to say he is not
to worry about me as "I know that as long as you remain at the War
Office no one will be allowed to harm us out here." Nor could they if he
were the K. of old; the K. who downed Milner and Chamberlain by making a
peace by agreement with the Boers and then swallowed a Viceroy and his
Military Member of Council as an appetiser to his more serious digest of
India. But is he? Where are the instruments?--gone to France or gone to
g