76 THE GREAT WAR 



with the old routine and traditions of his 

 Department and to deal with the difficult problem 

 before him in no half-hearted way. 



The late Mr. J. Harris-Gastrell, when Secretary 

 to the British Embassy at Berlin, wrote an 

 official report on the system of Land Tenure in 

 Prussia. The report was a masterly one. After 

 referring in high terms to the courage and fore- 

 sight of Stein and Hardenberg in promoting the 

 legislation on which the present German system 

 is founded, he concludes by saying that any 

 British statesmen who would follow in their 

 steps " would deserve well of their country. 

 Their names would be handed down to posterity 

 with a yet greater renown and a yet greater 

 national gratitude, if that be possible, than the 

 renown and gratitude with which the names of 

 Stein and Hardenberg are honoured in Germany, 

 the Great Kingdom of Prussia." 



In 1903 a Royal Commission was appointed 

 by the then Government to enquire into the 

 question of " Food Supply in the Time of War." 

 The Commission, after fifty sittings and after 

 examining ninety-three witnesses, reported in 

 1905. The report was a poor and colourless one. 

 The main recommendation of the Commission 



