That the grand attack will be a failure, and that
large numbers of the enemy's troops will be made prisoners is our forecast, but we are not going to be so foolish as to count our chickens before they are hatched. In war there is always the possibility of the unexpected happening. In fairness to the Germane, it must be said that the transportation of six batteries of artillery across the desert is an exceedingly creditable per- formance, as is also the delivery of twelve thousand men on our front, unless, of course, these twelve thousand are chiefly a Bedouin mob and not first-line Turkish troops. It is evident that our tactics are not to do whatwould be done in Europe- i.e., go out and meet our assailants—but to let them come to as and attempt to carry our positions by assault, a very trying business for those whose water can only reach them on the backs of camels.
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