In the House of Lords on Thursday week Lord Ribblesdaie
asked the Government to give a " broad and coloured
outline" of military operations in the Near East. It was understood, be said, that when Sir Charles Monro was " hustled from Flanders to a country in which he had never been before," he was to report on the situation and that his decision was to be final. It was common knowledge that lie had recommended withdrawal from the Dardanelles. Why, then, had Lord Kitchener gone to the Near East? Had he gone to give a second opinion about withdrawal, or had he gone to carry out the withdrawal P He hoped the Government would be sensible enough to be gnided by strict military opinion, and not by any question of prestige. Finally, Lord Ribblesdale referred to rumours of peace. He thought it possible that there might be a peace which was "nob exactly imposed by anybody," but, in any case, we were doing eo well that it was better not to talk about terms of peace at all.
