ot the nerve.

If only K. would come and see for himself! Failing that--if only it were
possible for me to run home and put my own case.

_16th June, 1915. Imbros._ Gouraud, a sympathetic guest, left for French
Headquarters in one of our destroyers at 3.30 p.m. He is a real Sahib; a
tower of strength. The Asiatic guns have upset his men a good deal. He
hopes soon to clap on an extinguisher to their fire by planting down two
fine big fellows of his own Morto Bay way: we mean to add a couple of
old naval six-inchers to this battery. During his stay we have very
thoroughly threshed out our hopes and fears and went into the plan which
Gouraud thinks offers chances of a record-breaking victory. If the
character of the new Commanders and the spirit of their troops are of
the calibre of those on his left flank at Helles he feels pretty
confident.

Talking of Commanders, my appeal for a young Corps Commander of a "good
stiff constitution" has drawn a startling reply:--

"(No. 5501, cipher). From Earl Kitchener to Sir Ian Hamilton. Your No.
M.F. 334. I am afraid that Sir John French would not spare the services
of the two Generals you mention, and they are, moreover, both junior to
Mahon, who commands the 10th Division which is going out to you. Ewart,
who is very fit and well, would I think do. I am going to see him the
day after to-morrow.

"Mahon raised the 10th Division and has produced an excellent unit. He
is quite fit and well, and I do not think that he could now be left
behind."

So the field of selection for the new Corps is to be restricted to some
Lieutenant-General senior to Mahon--himself the only man of his rank
commanding a Division and almost at the top of the Lieutenant-Generals!
Oh God, if I could have a Corps Commander like Gouraud! But this block
by "Mahon" makes a record for the seniority fetish. I have just been
studying the Army List with Pollen. Excluding Indians, Marines and
employed men like Douglas Haig and Maxwell, there _are_ only about one
dozen British service Lieutenant-Generals senior to Mahon, and, of that
dozen only two are _possible_--Ewart and Stopford! There _are_ no
others. Ewart is a fine fellow, with a character which commands respect
and affection. He is also a Cameron Highlander whose father commanded
the Gordons. As a presence nothing could be better; as a man no one in
the Army would be more welcome. But he would not, with his build and
constitutional habit, last out here for