Experiences of a Dug-out, 1914-1918 | Page 5

-- Mr. Henderson -- Sir E. Carson -- Mr. Bonar Law -- The question of resignation of individuals -- Lord Curzon -- Mr. Churchill -- Mr. Lloyd George.
CHAPTER XII
SOME INTER-ALLIES CONFERENCES........................... 222
The Conference with the Italians in Paris in April-May 1915 -- Its constitution -- Italians anxious that Allies should deliver big offensive simultaneously with advance of Italian army -- Impossibility of giving a guarantee -- Difficulties over the naval proposals -- Banquet given by M. Millerand at the War Office -- A visit to the front -- Impressions -- Mr. Churchill turns up unexpectedly -- A conference with General Joffre at Chantilly on Salonika -- Its unsatisfactory character -- Admiral Gamble races "Grandpère" and suffers discomfiture -- A distinguished party proceed to Paris -- A formal conference with the French Government -- Messrs. Asquith, Grey and Lloyd George as linguists -- The French attitude over Salonika -- Sir W. Robertson gives his views -- The decision -- Dinner at the élysée -- Return to London -- Mr. Lloyd George and the soldiers on the Boulogne jetty -- Points of the destroyer as a yacht -- Mr. Balfour and Sir W. Robertson afloat -- A chatty dinner on our side of the Channel -- Difficulty over Russian munitions owing to a Chantilly conference -- A conference at the War Office -- Mr. Lloyd George as chairman -- M. Mantoux.
CHAPTER XIII
A FIRST MISSION TO RUSSIA............................... 237
Reasons for Mission -- An effectual staff officer -- Our distinguished representatives in Scandinavia -- The journey -- Stockholm -- Lapps -- Crossing the frontier at Haparanda -- Arrival at Petrograd -- Sir G. Buchanan -- Interviews with General Polivanoff, Admiral Grigorovitch and M. Sazonoff -- Imperial vehicles -- Petrograd -- We proceed to the Stavka -- Improper use of the title "Tsar" -- The Imperial headquarters -- Meeting with the Emperor -- Two disconcerting incidents -- Nicholas II. -- His charm -- His admiration for Lord Kitchener's work -- Conference with General Alexeieff -- Mohileff -- Service in the church in honour of the Grand Duchess Tatiana's birthday -- Return to Petrograd -- A rencontre with an archbishop -- The nuisance of swords -- Return home.
CHAPTER XIV
A SECOND MISSION TO RUSSIA.............................. 253
Object of this second mission -- The general military situation -- Verdun and Kut -- Baron Meyendorff -- We partially adopt Russian uniform -- Stay in Petrograd -- Sir Mark Sykes -- Presentation of decorations at the Admiralty -- Mohileff -- Conference with General Alexeieff -- He raises the question of an expedition to Alexandretta -- Asks for heavy artillery -- The Emperor -- A conversation with him -- The dismissal of Polivanoff -- Disquieting political conditions in Russia -- Nicholas II.'s attitude -- The journey to Tiflis -- We emerge from the snow near the Sea of Azov -- Caucasia -- Tiflis -- General Yanushkhevitch -- Conference with the Grand Duke Nicholas -- Proposes that we should smash Turkey -- Constantinople? -- Major Marsh -- The Grand Duke -- Presenting the G.C.M.G. to General Yudenitch -- Our stay at Tiflis -- Proceed to Batoum -- A day at Batoum -- Visit to the hospital ship Portugal -- Proceed by destroyer to Off -- Sinking of the Portugal -- Off -- General Liakoff -- A ride to the scene of a very recent fight -- A fine view -- The field force dependent upon maritime communications -- Landing difficulties -- Return to Tiflis -- A gala dinner at the palace -- Journey to Sarikamish -- Russian pronunciation of names -- Kars -- Greeting the troops -- One of the forts -- Welcome at Sarikamish -- General Savitzky -- Russian hospitality -- The myth about Russians being good linguists -- A drive in a blizzard -- Colonel Maslianikoff describes his victory over the Turks in December 1914, on the site of his command post -- Our visit to this part of the world much appreciated -- A final interview with the Grand Duke -- Proceed to Moscow -- The Kremlin -- View of Moscow from the Sparrow Hills -- Visit to a hospital -- Observations on such visits -- A talk with our acting Consul-General -- Back to Petrograd -- Conclusions drawn from this journey through Russia -- Visit to Lady Sybil Grey's hospital -- A youthful swashbuckler -- Return home -- We encounter a battle-cruiser squadron on the move.
CHAPTER XV
THE RUSSIAN BUNGLE...................................... 280
The Russian Revolution the worst disaster which befell the Entente during the Great War -- The political situation in Russia before that event much less difficult to deal with than had been the political situation in the Near East in 1915 -- The Allies' over-estimate of Russian strength in the early months of the war -- We hear about the ammunition shortage first from Japan -- Presumable cause of the breakdown --