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

Dardanelles Committee -- Finding a formula -- Mr. Churchill
backs up Sir I. Hamilton -- The spirit of compromise -- The Cabinet
carrying on pari passu with the Dardanelles Committee -- Personal
experiences with the Cabinet -- The War Council which succeeded the
Dardanelles Committee -- An illustration of the value of the War
Cabinet system -- Some of its inconveniences -- Ministers -- 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......................................