Lord French now quotes in full a letter from Lord
Kitchener with reference to the visit to- Paris. The relevant part of this letter is that in which Lord Kitchener gives the text of a telegram which he sent from Paris to the Cabinet :—
" French's troops are now engaged in the fighting-line, where he will remain conforming to the movements of the French Army, though at the same time acting with caution to avoid being in any way unsupported on his flanks" After quoting this telegram which he had just despatched, Lord Kitchener goes on in his letter to explain that he wishes
Lord French to regard the language of this telegram as " an instruction " until further notice. Lord Kitchener also defines exactly what he means by being " in the fighting-line " ; he
means that the British troops ought to be " in contact with, though possibly behind, the French." Whatever meaning Lord French may attach to this letter, it seems to us to heal out what Mr. Asquith said—namely, that Lord French had intended to part company with the French, and that Lord Kitchener rushed over to Paris in order to stop any such move- ment. Lord French explains that his "dispositions remained absolutely unaltered " by Lord Kitchener's visit. But as the whole purpose of Lord Kitchener's visit was to prevent any alteration, this statement explains nothing and helps nobody. least of all Lord French.
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