r Salonika. K. seems astonished at the behaviour of the
French Government in sending tactical orders direct to Bailloud. Most
extraordinary, he calls it. He wants Byng to go to Salonika and winds up
gloriously by telling me of the great things they are doing in France;
that, up to the present, 23,000 prisoners and over 40 guns have been
taken, and that he hopes there are more of each to follow. This fine
success, he says, should help us along in the East. So it should. I have
cabled the good news across and ordered a _feu de joie_ to be fired
everywhere on the Peninsula in honour of the victory. The ball was
opened at Helles at 7 p.m., the Turks replied vigorously with every gun
and rifle they could bring to bear, and rarely, I imagine, has a
"furious joy" expressed itself more furiously.

Nowhere in the Empire has this fine victory brought more heartfelt
relief and joy than at the Dardanelles: to have been brought to a
standstill, for the third time of asking, for _nothing_; that was the
fear which had haunted us.

_29th September, 1915._ Work. At 11 a.m. tore myself away from my papers
to play principal part in a gay little ceremony. Outside my office a
guard of honour of Surrey Yeomanry, Naval Division and Australians
formed three sides of a square. Bertier, de la Borde and Pelliot were
led in smiling like brides going up to the altar, and, after a tiny
speech, I decorated the first with the D.S.O. and the other two with the
Military Cross. All three Officers are most popular, and there were loud
cheers. De la Borde had tea and Mitchell came in at the same time to say
good-bye. We are all distressed at losing Mitchell. He is a very fine
specimen of the sailor of the modern school. Efficient, modest, untiring
at his work. He has collaborated in the most loyal and devoted manner
with the G.S., and I don't know how we should ever have got on without
him.

Nevinson, the Correspondent, came again with Maxwell, the Press Censor.
Nevinson wants to find out whether it would be worth his while to go to
Salonika. I would like to lend him a hand for he is such a nice fellow,
but the matter is about as secret as can be, and I don't feel myself
free to say much. The Captains of H.M.S. _Cornwall_ and _Cornwallis_
dined; also Flight Commander Samson and Ward, King's Messenger. The last
named starts to-morrow night and carried off with him my letter to K.
Amongst other things I write:--"In the cables which have passed between
us,