... I’ve been bombarded by Stead. I tried to boom him off but the scoundrel said if I didn’t see him, he would have to invent! I pointed out to him my _métier_ was that of the mole! Trace me by upheavals! When you see the Admirals rise it’s that d--d fellow Jack Fisher taking the rise out of them! So I implored Stead to keep me out of the _Magazine Rifle_ [this was my name for _The Review of Reviews_] or he will interfere with my professional career of crime. So please use your influence with him in the same direction. You and Clarke are the two legitimate members of the Committee to be trotted out, as you are both so well known. No sailor is ever known. The King was awfully good about this. He said “Sailors went all round the world but never went in it”! Stead is a very keen observer, as you know. He said our Committee could do anything, and that neither the Press nor Parliament nor the Public would tolerate any Military opposition to us because the whole Military hierarchy was utterly discredited from top to bottom; but he doubted _The Times_--_I don’t_. Further he expressed his firm belief there would be a change of Government possibly at Easter but certainly soon--if so we ought on that ground alone to “dig out” with our Report. * * * * * 1903. (No date.) Knollys was very much impressed by the possibilities of the Submarine when he was down here. He saw them to better advantage than you did as it was blowing half a gale of wind with a good sea on when he saw the evolutionising! and it was very striking. I am working subterraneously about the Submarines and there are already “upheavals” in consequence. * * * * * 1904. _Jan. 5th._ ... I yesterday sent all my plans to French for embarking the whole of his First Army Corps on Monday, June 27th (Full Moon) at Portsmouth, and he is coming here with his Chief Staff Officer, Sir F. Stopford, next week, and we’ll land him like Hoche’s Army in Bantry Bay! [Sir John French commanded at Aldershot. _The War Office stopped this._] * * * * * 1904. _Jan. 17th._ ... For the reason I have given you at length in another letter I am convinced that French should be 1st Military Member and under him there should be 3 _Directors_ (not Hieroglyphics such as A.Q.M.G., D.A.Q.M.G., A.Q.M.G. 2, etc., etc.). Sir F. Stopford--Director of Intelligence and Mobilisation. Gen. Grierson--Director of Training. Gen. Maxwell--Director of Home Defence.