sands of shortage in my present
formations. Since they fixed up to send me the new Divisions I must have
lost ten thousand rifles, but as all my old Divisions remain at the
Dardanelles _in name_, they are being regarded at home, we strongly
suspect, as a sort of widow's cruse, kept full by miracles instead of
men and still, therefore,--Divisions!

In the evening the Vice-Admiral came over and we rode together down to
the Naval Seaplane Camp. The King's Messenger left at 5 p.m.

_20th July, 1915. Imbros._ Wrote double quick, then galloped over to
Kephalos to see the New Army, _sub rosa_. The men we struck were A.1.
They belong to the 32nd and 34th Brigades of the 11th Division. The 33rd
has gone to Helles to get salted.

Hunter-Weston is still staying with the Admiral. He has had a hard time
and a heavy responsibility and is quite worn out. I devoutly trust he
may be on his legs again ere long. Have put in Stopford to act for him
at Helles. This should teach the young idea how to shoot. With every
aspect of the command and administration of the Southern theatre of
operations thus under his immediate orders he has a rare chance of
learning how to do it and how not to do it.

_21st July, 1915._--Just signed a letter to the Chief of the Imperial
General Staff and as it gives the run of my thoughts at the moment I
spatchcock the opening and final paras:--

* * * * *

"My dear Wolfe Murray,

"How do you manage to find time to write these charming letters of yours
with your own hand? They come like a gift from some oriental potentate
and carry with them the same moral obligations; i.e., that they ought to
be returned in kind. But to-day the time limit interposes, and I know
you will pardon me for once if I dictate.

[Illustration: _F. A. Swaine phot._ LIEUT.-GEN. SIR A. HUNTER-WESTON,
K.C.B., D.S.O.]

"I am immensely interested in what you say with reference to the 29th
Division being below strength, namely, that we are getting short of men.
Well,--though one of the keenest voluntary service people existing, I
have always envisaged the fact that during a war we might be driven
to compulsion. Also in writing out fully my views on this subject (views
which I was not permitted by late Chiefs of the General Staff to
publish) I have always, for that reason, pressed for National
Registration. It does no one any harm, and rubs into the mind of the
young man that, under certain conditions, the