Met Allanson, the brave commander of the 6th Gurkhas;
Allanson who scaled the heights of Sari Bair and entered for a few
hectic hours into the promised land. Oh, what a wonderful adventure his
has been! To have seen the Dardanelles and their defences lying flat at
his feet! To feel--as he says he did--that he held the whole Turkish
Army by the throat!

To-day's inspection has once more brought me into personal touch with
the perfect confidence felt both at Anzac and Suvla in the
demoralization of the Turks. This has nerved me to cable agreeing to
spare the 10th and 53rd Divisions from Suvla as well as a Brigade of
French from Helles and four and a half Brigades of British Field
Artillery:--

* * * * *

"(No. M.F. 675). From General Sir Ian Hamilton to Secretary of State for
War. Reference your No. 8229. Let me begin by saying that I quite
realize that, to you, playing for your large stakes, the Dardanelles
operation may temporarily become of a secondary nature. In spite of the
Salonika scheme I am, however, particular to note that it is not
intended to withdraw from the Gallipoli Peninsula, nor to give up here
until the Turks are beaten. Bearing this in mind it becomes my duty to
point out the objection to the abandonment of Suvla Bay, the
consequences of which at this stage would, I consider, be so grave that
I am warranted in running much risk to get you your two divisions by
other means. The situation has greatly changed since I first suggested
the possibility of abandoning the Bay, and its abandonment at this stage
would, I feel convinced, enormously accentuate the difficulties of any
subsequent attempt to capture the Narrows; unless, as a result of our
landing troops at Salonika, Bulgaria were induced to side with us and
not against us. Even when I told you in my No. M.F. 578 of 23rd August
that the diminution of my forces might compel me to contract my line, I
could not view the project without misgiving, in spite of the fact
that, at that time, I had landed few reinforcements and little artillery
in the new zone, and my views are not rightly interpreted when it is
said that I saw no great difficulty in the enterprise. After I had
received the reassuring news of reinforcements I sent you my No. M.F.
589 of 26th August and I have from that date been pouring in large
quantities of reinforcements and supplies in anticipation of winter, and
have landed a large additional amount of art