Grant Duff, Adrian, Diary, 21-25 October 1910
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Diary of Adrian Grant Duff, page 18
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- AboutCreator: Grant Duff, AdrianSource: diaryDate: 21-25 October 1910Collection/Fonds: Grant Duff, AdrianPublisher:Contributor: McMaster University LibrariesRights: Copyright, public domain: McMaster University owns the rights to the archival copy of the digital image in TIFF format.
Identifier: 00001412-13Language: engType: imageFormat: jpg
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- Oct. 7th. Home Defence. Saw Fuller - their object is as I jaloused to get certain principles of Imperial Defence - of which Home Defence is of course only a part -- accepted. - These define in fact the reasons for the existence of our military forces to wit: "so long as our superiority at sea is maintained, it is more likely that we shall be required to develop our strength outside the United Kingdom than within it. Outside the United Kingdom, in addition to the protection of our outlying possessions, it may be necessary in the future, as in the past, to support Allies against aggression, or to intervene on the Continent of Europe in accordance with any treaty obligations which may exist." xxx "It is of the highest importance that the balance of Power should be maintained throughout the world". They are also anxious that the C. in C. of the Central Force for the defence of the United Kingdom should be permanently nominated.
- In the afternoon I spent a good deal of time with Henry Wilson the new D.M.O. and discussed several points in connection with the employment of the Expeditionary Force. - He does not appear to agree altogether with the conclusions arrived at two years ago - and in some degree I gather that the naval attitude has changed. - Our discussion to-day was however only a prelude. - He had been in the North Sea with the fleet and describes them as "thoroughly frightened"! He also told me that staying in the same house with Mr. Haldane, that great man had pressed for his support for his organization of the Army - to which Wilson had replied that he would give it if Mr Haldane would answer two questions - The regular army consist of six divisions: Why? Why not seven? Why not four? The territorial Army consists of fourteen divisions Why? Why not fifteen? Why not ten? There is of course no answer --
- As regards the expeditionary force the position is, as I had pointed out earlier in the conversation, precisely the same as it was when the government of the day sent Moore to Sweden with ten thousand men - summarized by Fortescue thus. We propose to send so many men to the continent in certain eventualities but there is no logical reason why we send that number or any other. - Despite all our clear thinking our army is organized for peace purposes - while those of our possible enemies are organized for war. Talking of clear thinking a sailor remarked that when he listened to one of Mr Haldane's speeches he always felt as if he was running into a fog bank. - I should say "organized" This is badly worded - The strength of our army is calculated on our Peace requirements, not on what we may require in war.
- 8th. 10th. Came to London, (48 Grosvenor St.) for good to-day. 11th. Ottley came back. - Lunched with Burnett Stuart who is going to New Zealand as D.M.O. - with Godley as C.G.S. and E.S. Heard! as D.M.T. "As English my lord Spry said "What I like about that fellow Heard is that he doesn't take any damned interest in his work" 12th. Finished draft report on postal censorship briefly the conclusion is that existing powers are sufficient until war is declared, that the precautionary period is perhaps the most important & that afterwards any powers required will be readily conceded. The difficulties are so great owing to the volume of correspondence that there is not very much to be done. - Rose to see me to lunch. Sub. Ctee [Committee] on the treatment of enemy ships on the outbreak of of War - Ld. Hardinge of P. [Penshurst] Eyre Crowe, Sir H. Llewellyn Smith, Sir C. Lucas, Blackwell
- Sir N.J. Highmore, Admiral Bethell D.N.I., F.G. Fuller RE for DMT, T.E. Scott for B. Duff, Mellor (Kings Proctor) Edmonds Oct. 13. Reread papers on treatment of Aliens in time of war - In the afternoon there was a meeting of an interdepartmental committee on Aerial Navigation, not one of our committees but as the subject is likely to come up again here shortly I thought one might learn something by going to it. - W.P. Byrne C.B. & Home Office Law & Craigie F.O. [Foreign Office] Chalmer Bd. of Trade D.N.I. MacDonough. Ottley - Mr. Haldane looked in later - After all they have shied at considering Sir John French's memorandum on the Defence of Canada - Ottley expresses great delight - Personally I think the attitude rather feeble - we have as much right to consider the defence of Canada against her only likely enemy as we have to have a defence scheme for Halifax or Bermuda - or Jamaica - which by the
- way the Yankees stole on their famous errand of mercy at the tune of the earthquake. However with George Paley D.M.O. in Canada I don't know that it very much matters whether the C.I.D. discuss or don't discuss the subject.* * Of course there is also Laurier to consider - To get his back up, which this subject well might do would be fatal, - and after all if the Canadians don't take any interest in the matter why should we. - Haldane is apparently also getting alarmed at the progress of the National Service League who appear to have 163 M.P.s pledged to support universal service. - Ian Hamilton has it appears written a book on the other side to which Haldane is contributing a preface. - Oct. 14th. Macdonough to see me in the morning, returning me the draft report on Postal Censorship. - We also discussed several points in connection with the question of preventing intelligence reaching the enemy and the question of Marital Law in this country. - In the afternoon I started on the subject of Aerial Navigation. Ld. Hardinge's Committee sat again in the morning but I did not go. -
- Oct. 15th. Went on with Aerial Navigation - the high Tory hostility of Nicholson & Hadden to the witnesses is very marked - However in the end it was agreed to provide funds for airships both for the Navy and the Army but to leave progress in Aeroplanes to private enterprise. - Lord Kitchener is to join the Defence Committee. - I glean (14th) that it is his fault that he has not done so before - he being very annoyed at not being made Viceroy - which he very nearly was - eventually however the radical journalists got at Morley. There was also an idea that Gerard Lowther (failure) should go from Constantinople to St. Petersburg - Sir Eldon Gorst (failure) Egypt to C. K to Egypt - Lowether however would not move! Oct. 16th. Clément-Bayard Airship travels from Paris to London.-
- Oct. 17th. Monday - Chancellor back from leave - Wellman has started in an airship from Atlantic City for Europe - I am told however that he is an imposter. Mr. Marshall Stevens corn merchant anxious for state granaries. - Mr. J.R. Thursfield to see Ottley? The Tyne defences which the G.S. want reconsidered occupied my time.- Oct. 18th. Tuesday. Gorton came in to see me in the morning. - As to a subject which once interested me greatly he says Henry Wilson says that either old Miles must get it done or he or old Miles must leave the War Office - He doesn't care much! He appears to have told old Nick that if he didn't look out he would find his head rolling in the waste paper basket!
- His humour is so infectious that he seems to be able to say anything he likes to anyone and without annoying them even. - He was very amusing the other day when I saw him about our organization for war for if you have the Mounted Brigades in front of the divisions you can't feed them! Similarly if you try & put two of our divisions one behind another you can't feed the one in front! The French can do it - and moreover he declares that there is not one horse or one cart on the roads in rear of their army in the day time! Tyne defences all day - It is curious reading the back papers - the constant committees recommending this that & the other with little or no result - it is also curious to read now & again the rash prophecies of eminent persons of byegone days. - Sir Andrew Clarke foretold that the United States
- would get their carrying trade back in a very few years unless we took steps to safeguard ours with ships & guns - They have doubled & redoubled their fleet since then with little profit enough to their mercantile marine - Lord Wolsely thought in 1882 that the limit had been nearly reached in the protective possibilities for armoured ships! Oct. 19th. Tyne defences in the morning - Did not go back after lunch. Son born. Oct. 20th. Dr. Budge at breakfast this morning told us that the Deutsche Bank were busy in Egypt buying out the existing land banks by lending the Fellaheen money at 4% instead of 9% - I repeated this to Ottley who has I understand conveyed it to Esher who will pass it on to Cassel.- Hankey however says that he was told some months ago that Cassel himself was engaged in this pursuit but he added that Gwinner loathes Cassel so
- apart from politics it is conceivable that the Deustche Bank was merely trying to cut out Cassel. - Our government has at last decided to take action to restore the security of the southern roads in Persia : Evelyn writes to-day that he had pressed this very policy on the Government five years ago and that Ld. Lansdowne had been on the brink of accepting it when he fell. - Guy Lubbock came to see me in the evening and asked me as to a sub. committee presided over by Seeley which had sent for him & demanded information. I had never heard of it:- Oct. 21st. but I find today that we know of its existence here and that is all - C.L.O apparently allowed himself rather to be bounced over it. - It was really started by Sir F. Bolton to enquire into the situation of London as to food supplies if the Thames was closed. - Gorton tells me that Henry Wilson has asked
- Bethell whether the Navy can take the Expeditionary Force across the North Sea in the event of war. - Oh yes says Bethell. - In the dark - Oh yes - rather prefer the dark - What about the German Navy[?] Oh the German Navy is no use - Really that's curious because their Army's rather good - About the best in the World - Yes but their Navy has got no history behind it - It can't be any use - But a history behind is not always much use is it? Look at the French Army in '70! However will you give me that in writing that you can take us across the North Sea - Oh no I won't give it you in writing - Well then will you give it me in writing that you can't! I gather that the subject of the railways in war was considered yesterday as H.W. told old Miles "You've postponed the meeting three times, if you don't have it this time I shall have it without you! Miles seems to have been
- most willing to get on - but I thought I had got him as far as that ages ago! Saw Kitchener in the street yesterday & Sir G. Armstrong in deep conversation with Lord C. Beresford to-day! Yesterday I redrafted a "Note" for the Home Defence Paper in the morning & studied the Tyne in the afternoon - To-day again the Tyne - 22 October. Tyne - 24 October. Got the Home Defence Paper into its final form. Sidney Perl, writing to Esher, ridicules Budge's statements about the Deutsche Bank in Egypt.- 25. Oct. Esher has been summoned to Windsor. I gather that he was much annoyed at not being given the running of the Coronation - Mr. Charles E. Drummond Black who is interested in a railway from Suez to the Persian Gulf called. - The F.O. send us over despatches from Lowther & Eliot
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