A reversion to earlier dates -- The statisticians in the winter of 1914-15 -- The efforts to prove that German man-power would shortly give out -- Lack of the necessary premises upon which to found such calculations -- Views on the maritime blockade -- The projects for operations against the Belgian coast district in the winter of 1914-15 -- Nature of my staff -- The "dug-outs" -- The services of one of them, "Z" -- His care of me in foreign parts -- His activities in other Departments of State -- An alarming discovery -- How "Z" grappled with a threatening situation -- He hears about the Admiralty working on the Tanks -- The cold-shouldering of Colonel Swinton when he raised this question at the War Office in January 1915 -- Lord Fisher proposes to construct large numbers of motor-lighters, and I am told off to go into the matter with him -- The Baltic project -- The way it was approached -- Meetings with Lord Fisher -- The "beetles" -- Visits from the First Sea Lord -- The question of secrecy in connection with war operations -- A parable -- The land service behind the sea service in this matter -- Interviews with Mr. Asquith -- His ways on such occasions. CHAPTER VII FURTHER EXPERIENCES IN THE WAR OFFICE................... 127 Varied nature of my responsibilities -- Inconvenience caused by a Heath-Caldwell being a brother-Director on the General Staff -- An interview with Lord Methuen -- The Man of Business -- His methods when in charge of a Government Department -- War Office branches under Men of Business -- The art of advertisement -- This not understood by War Office officials -- The paltry staff and accommodation at the disposal of the Director of Supplies and Transport, and what was accomplished -- Good work of the Committee of Imperial Defence in providing certain organizations for special purposes before the war -- The contre-espionage branch -- The Government's singular conduct on the occasion of the first enemy spy being executed at the Tower -- The cable censorship -- The post office censorship -- A visit from Admiral Bacon -- His plan of landing troops by night at Ostend -- Some observations on the subject -- Sir J. Wolfe-Murray leaves the War Office -- An appreciation of his work -- The Dardanelles papers to be presented to Parliament referred to me -- My action in the matter and the appointment of the Dardanelles Committee in consequence -- Mr. Lloyd George, Secretary of State for War -- His activities -- I act as D.C.I.G.S. for a month -- Sound organization introduced by Sir W. Robertson -- Normal trench-warfare casualties and battle casualties -- I learn the facts about the strengths of the different armies in the field -- Troubles with the Cabinet over man-power -- Question of