4O0 Churchill and Wyndham in Accord [ J 9 12 



as eight to five. Without something of the sort the race must decay. 

 It was rapidly decaying, but would be stopped by some such means,. 



" After lunch I drove Clementine with my team round by Turner's 

 Hill and Caxtons, and we overtook my grandchildren coming up to 

 tea. 



" Another long evening's talk followed. 



" 21st Oct. — The party is over and all are gone their several ways, 

 Winston to Sheerness with Clementine, George to London, and Mark to 

 Puttenden, and I am left in a state almost of collapse alone. We had 

 a last try for a buck to-day, but again without success, though three 

 were seen, and we got a score of pheasants. 



" I am the more depressed because of the evil news from Turkey, 

 where the five armies of the Balkan States and Greece have invaded 

 Ottoman territory, and so far successfully. The only chance for the 

 Turks seemed to lie in a vigourc»us offensive, and it is clear they lack) 

 initiative now that Shefket has left their War Office. They are be- 

 ing betrayed by Kiamil and English advice and will end in their dis- 

 memberment. I judge of things being at their worst in regard to 

 any hope of help here from Winston's talk. He has become most 

 truculent about international affairs, being engrossed in preparations 

 for war with Germany and ready with Grey for any betrayal of weak 

 nations needed for the game of alliances. Talking of Somaliland, 

 where there has been fighting between the Mullah and the ' friendly ' 

 tribes, he said he would like to make a present of it to Germany and 

 of other places as coaling stations which would be so many hostages 

 to fortune. They (meaning our Government) would be obliged to 

 take some action against the Mullah, not an expedition, which was 

 too expensive an affair, but they would send aeroplanes to drop bombs 

 into the Arab camps. He gave us a graphic description of his ex- 

 periences at Omdurman in the charge of the 21st Lancers, and of how 

 he had seen these spearing the wounded and leaning with their whole 

 weight on their lances after the charge to get the points through the 

 thick clothes the wounded Dervishes wore as they lay on the ground. 

 As the points went in the Derwishes would kick up their feet and hands. 

 One trooper had boasted of his kind-heartedness because he had only 

 put four inches of steel into his man. ' He ought to be thankful,' he 

 had said, ' to find himself in the hands of a good-natured chap like 

 me.' Winston is quite changed on these matters from what he was 

 two years ago when I had hopes of encouraging him to better things. 

 How like his father ! He and George had been talking these two days 

 in absolute accord on army and navy affairs and the coming war with 

 Germany. Hearing them talk, one might be excused for thinking 

 what is commonly said by the Tories, that Winston will one day re- 

 turn to the Tory fold. His old connection with the army and now 



