Chapter 10

THE MUNITIONS QUESTION.................................. 190

Mr. Asquith's Newcastle speech -- The mischief that it did -- The time that must elapse before any great expansion in output of munitions can begin to materialize -- The situation analogous to that of a building -- The Ministry of Munitions was given and took the credit for the expansion in output for the year subsequent to its creation, which was in reality the work of the War Office -- The Northcliffe Press stunt about shell shortage -- Its misleading character -- Sir H. Dalziel's attack upon General von Donop in the House -- Mr. Lloyd George's reply -- A discreditable episode -- Misapprehension on the subject of the army's preparedness for war in respect to material -- Misunderstanding as to the machine-gun position -- Lord French's attack upon the War Office with regard to Munitions -- His responsibility for the lack of heavy artillery -- The matter taken up at the War Office before he ever raised it from G.H.Q. -- His responsibility for the absence of high-explosive shell for our field artillery -- A misconception as to the rôle of the General Staff -- The serious difficulty that arose with regard to this ammunition owing to prematures -- The misstatements in "_1914_" as to the amount of artillery ammunition which was sent across France to the Dardanelles -- Exaggerated estimates by factories as to what they would be able to turn out -- Their estimates discounted as a result of later experiences -- The Munitions Ministry not confined to its proper job -- The incident of 400 Tanks -- Conclusion.