ght be able to achieve success with the ammunition already
promised, and I adhere to that opinion; but every additional 100 rounds
means some reduction of risks and greater assurance of success. I raise
this question again because I gather from what I hear that matters in
the other theatre of operations may possibly be at a standstill without
much prospect of any vital alteration before the autumn fairly sets in.
If this should be the case it is for you to consider whether a larger
and more regular supply of ammunition should be sent to me in order to
give this force the utmost chance of gaining an early success. Judging
from the increased effect of the bombardments before the last two
attacks on facilitating the Infantry advance I am led to hope that this
success would not be long delayed under the cumulative effect of
unremitting bombardment. If, therefore, any change in the general
situation should make it possible to allow me temporary preferential
claim to all the ammunition I should like, I would ask for the following
amounts to be here by 1st August, in addition to those accompanying the
troops and already promised, namely, 4.5-inch howitzer, 3,000 rounds;
5-inch howitzer, 7,000 rounds; 6-inch howitzer, 5,000, and 9.3-inch
howitzer, 500 rounds, all high explosive. I should also ask for a
monthly supply on the following scale, first consignment to arrive
before 15th August:--

"18-pr. 300,000
"4.5-inch howitzer 30,000
"5-inch howitzer 30,000
"6-inch howitzer 24,000
"60-pr. 15,000
"9.2-inch howitzer 6,000

"The howitzer ammunition to be all high explosive, the 60-pr. to be
one-third shrapnel and two-thirds high explosive, and the 18-pr. to be
half of each.

"The above monthly scale includes ammunition for the following
additional ordnance which I should like to get, namely, two batteries of
4.5-inch howitzers for each of the Xth and XIth Divisions (since 5-inch
howitzers are found to be too inaccurate to bombard the enemy trenches
even in close proximity to our own), one battery of 6-inch howitzers and
four 9.2-inch howitzers.

"On the assumption already made it might be possible for you to arrange
to forward to Ordnance Stores, Marseilles, the ammunition asked for to
be here by 1st August. Time would thus be gained to accumulate the
supply required, and I could arrange with the Vice-Admiral to send a
fast steamer of 1,000 tons hold capacity to br