... I had a _tête-à-tête_ lunch with Winston Churchill; he unexpectedly came to the Admiralty and I was whirled off with him to the Ritz. I had two hours with him. He is very keen to fight on my behalf and is simply kicking with fury at ---- & Co., but I’ve told him the watchword is “Silence.” He is an enthusiastic friend certainly! He told me he would get six men on both sides to join in _con amore_, F. E. Smith, &c., &c. I forget the other names. It was rather sweet: he said his penchant for me was that I painted with a big brush! and was violent!--I reminded him that even “The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force”--_vide_ yesterday’s Second Lesson. * * * * * 1908. _Jan. 17th._ _Secret._... I rather want to keep clear of Defence Committee till Morocco is settled, as I don’t want to disclose my plan of campaign to _anyone_, not even C.-B. himself. The only man who knows is Sir Arthur Wilson, and he’s as close as wax! The whole success will depend upon _suddenness and unexpectedness_, and the moment I tell anyone there’s an end of both!!! So just please keep me clear of any Conference and personally I would sooner the Defence Committee kept _still_. I’m seeing about the Transports. I started it about 7 weeks ago and got 3 of my best satellites on it.... So you’ll think me a villain of the deepest dye! * * * * * 1908. _(?) Feb. 9th._ ... We want both a _re-distribution_ as well as a _re-organisation_ of the Army--and the (comparatively) small Regular Army should be based on the system of “Nucleus Crews”--that is to say the _whole body of Officers_ are provided and ⅖ths (or the expert) part of the crew, and the other ⅗ths of the Army you get from the outside Army by whatever name you like to call it--National Army, or Citizen Army, or Lord Lieutenant’s Army. * * * * * 1908. _Feb. 21st._ ... _Secret._ Tirpitz asked a mutual civilian friend living in Berlin to enquire very privately of me whether I would agree to limiting size of guns and size of ships, as this is _vital_ to the Germans, who _can’t_ go bigger than the Dreadnought in guns or size. I wrote back by return of post yesterday morning “Tell him I’ll see him d--d first!” (_Them’s the very words!_) I wonder what Wilhelm will say to that if Tirpitz shows him the letter! * * * * * 1908. APR. 19TH.