244 OUR ENGLISH LAND MUDDLE. 



u t 



4. Supposing popular pressure took 

 the form of demand for more direct defence 

 of our food supplies, and special protection 

 of ships carrying food- stuffs to this country, 

 than the naval authorities would other- 

 wise contemplate, and was successful, do 

 the Board consider the probable result 

 would prejudice arrangements for the 

 general conduct of our offensive operations 

 of war against the hostile fleets ? ' 

 " On August 15 we received reply : — 

 " ' My lords desire me to return the fol- 

 lowing replies on their behalf to the four 

 questions referred to : — 



" ' 1. Literally the reply is No ; as an 

 affirmative answer without qualification 

 would be tantamount to saying that the 

 Admiralty could guarantee that no cap- 

 tures whatever could be made by the 

 enemy — a position impossible to main- 

 tain in argument. 



" ' Practically the reply is Yes ; as the 

 Admiralty believe that there would be no 

 material diminution in the supplies of wheat 

 and flour reaching the United Kingdom. 



