(ii) The “_suggestio falsi_” that the Admiralty had been wanting in Strategical Thought--whereas we had effected the immense advance of establishing the Naval War College and gave evidence of practical strategy in effecting the concentration of our Fleets instead of the previous state of dispersion. No such redistribution of strategical force since the days of Noah! But worse still--Not one word of commendation for the Admiralty for its unparalleled work in gaining fighting efficiency and instant readiness for war by the institution of the Nucleus Crew system--the introduction of Battle practice--the unexampled advance in Gunnery (the “Invincible” with her 12-inch guns hitting the target 1/14th her own size _15 times out of 18 at 5 miles_, she herself going 20 knots and the target also moving at an unknown speed and unknown course) and getting rid of 160 vessels that could neither fight nor run away--_Not one word of appreciation of all this by the Committee!_ and yet they had the practical result before them in the manœuvres of 374 vessels manœuvring in fogs and shoals without a single mishap or a single defect and 96 Submarines and Torpedo Craft on the East Coast making Invasion ridiculous! No--it has been a bitter disappointment--more bitter because each of the five members of the Committee so expressive to me and to others of the complete victory of the Admiralty. _Cowards all!_ It is the one redeeming feature that _The Times_ came down decidedly on the right side of the fence! the one and only paper that got at the kernel of the matter. _Discipline!_ where art thou now after this Report? [Illustration: THE FUNERAL OF KING EDWARD VII. Lord Fisher as Principal Aide-de-Camp.] * * * * * 1909. _Sept. 13th._ ... What pleases me most is the King having sent for you, and your 1½ hours’ breakfast and afterwards driving with him, because as no doubt you know, ---- (and some others) started a propaganda against you which fell absolutely flat and it’s a rattling good thing the King making much of you in this way as it gets _about and without any question the King now largely moulds the public will!_ As to your letter in regard to myself, it of course gives me great joy that the King gives me his blessing and also dear Knollys’s wonderful fidelity to me is a miracle! (I always think of an incident long ago when he calmly ignored a furious effusion of mine to the King and put the letter in the fire without saying a word to me till long afterwards! I all the time joyful--thinking I had done splendidly!) [After a forecast of a coming change in the Government the letter goes on]