29 JANUARY 1916, Page 2

Lord Robert Cecil, who wound up the debate for the

Govern- ment, expressed himself as grateful for the tone of the speeches. Vehement attacks on the Foreign Office in the Press, he pointed out, did no good. They diverted the energies of the Department from preparing an attack upon the Germans to preparing a defence of themselves. Lord Faringdon, formerly Sir Arthur Henderson, who was sent on a special mission to the Northern Powers, was of opinion that neither through Norway, Denmark, nor Holland was much foodstuff going to Germany.