ndering how, when and
where he has got it into his head that we have small craft in abundance!

_29th July, 1915. Imbros._ Stuck to camp, and lucky I did so, for the
cipher of a queer cable from S. of S. for War came in and called for as
much thought as is compatible with prompt handling. The message begins
with a ripe sugar plum:--

* * * * *

"At this stage of the operations which you have conducted with so much
ability and in which your troops have so greatly distinguished
themselves, we" (this "we" is a new expression; the S. of S. always says
"I") "consider it advisable to summarize what we are placing at your
disposal for the effort which we hope will bring your operations to a
successful termination.

"We have sent you out" and then the cable launches out into an inventory
of the forces entrusted to me which, though very detailed, is yet
largely based on what we call the widow's cruse principle. As to the
demnition total, "we" tells "me," categorically, (as the Lawyers say
when they describe the whiteness of soot) that I have "a total of about
205,000 men for the forthcoming operations." The A.G. who brought me the
cable could make nothing of it. Braithwaite then came over and he could
make nothing of it. We can none of us see the point of pretending to
_us_ that my force has been kept up to the strength all the time, or of
adding bayonets to the French or of assuming to _us_ that _we_ possess
troops which Maxwell has told me time and again he requires for Egyptian
defence. Were these figures going to the enemy Chief they might
intimidate him--coming here they alarm me. There is a "We" at the other
end of the cable which knows so little that it tells me, who know every
gun, rifle and round of ammunition I have at my disposal, that I have
double that number to handle. We won't defeat the enemy by paper
strengths. As far as sentiments go, the cable is by chalks the heartiest
handshake we poor relations to the West have had since we started. From
the outset we've been kicked by phrases such as, if you don't hurry up
we will have to "reconsider the position," etc., etc. Now, the "Wees"
wind up with a really wonderful paragraph:--

* * * * *

"We should like to hear from you after considering your plans whether
there is anything further in the way of personnel, guns or ammunition we
can send you, as we are most anxious to give you everything you can