ing the consignment of
high explosives from Marseilles. To get the steamer coaled, to arrive at
Marseilles, coal again and be ready to receive the ammunition, would
take seven days.

"Please understand that this suggestion is only prompted for the
following reasons: (1) My growing belief that ample artillery might,
within a limited period, lead to quite a considerable success in this
theatre, and (2) because the reports which reach me seem to indicate
that an offensive is not likely to be undertaken elsewhere at present
(and I have mainly asked for offensive ammunition).

"The monthly supply above detailed I should not expect would be required
for more than two months."

If our Government really--whole-heartedly--_will_ that there should be a
complete success in the East, they must, equally, with whole hearts and
braced-up _will_, resist (for a while) the idea of any offensive in the
West. In saying this I speak of the A.B.C. of war. The main theatre is
where the amphibious power wishes to make it so. This cable of mine sent
to a man like Lord K. is a very strong order. But now is the time to
speak up and let him realize that he must let the fields of France lie
fallow for the summer if he wishes to plough the Black Sea waves in
autumn.

_14th July, 1915. Imbros._ Wrote letters in the morning, and in the
evening went for a ride to the Salt Lake and there inspected the new
aeroplane camp on the far side of the water.

Last night more counter-attacks, all driven off. The French right is now
actually on the mouth of the Kereves Dere where it runs into the sea. We
have made about 500 prisoners and have captured a machine gun.
Hunter-Weston had to transfer the command of the 52nd Division,
temporarily, to Shaw, the new Commander of the 13th Division.

Baikie is crying out to us for shells as if _we_ were bottling them up!
There are none.

_15th July, 1915. Imbros._ The answer has come in from the War
Office:--the answer, I mean, to mine of the day before yesterday in
which it is suggested that _if_ our rich brethren were off their feed
for the moment, some crumbs of high explosive might be spared:--

* * * * *

"We have great difficulty in sending you the amounts of ammunition
mentioned in our No. 5770, cipher, and even now the proportion of 18-pr.
high explosive will be less than stated therein. In response, however,
to your No. M.F. 444, we are adding 1,000 rounds 4.5-inch, 500--