equipped for the unknown journey, were quite touching in their earnestness and beauty of expression. Contemplating these monuments, and with one's mind full of the glories of Ancient Greece, it was sad to look up and see close in front of one a small commonplace modern town. However, we had a good time during the few days we were at Athens, but we did think the Opera House might be more carefully attended to. When in the stalls Colonel B. showed some little discomfort. "Cramp?" I suggested. "No, fleas!" was the answer.

We had interesting discussions with the politicians, and just before leaving it was proposed we should go on to Constantinople; but as my holidays from Sandhurst, where I was under engagement as an instructor, were just running out, I could not manage it. Would that some arrangements permitting of it had been then thought of. I heard afterwards that my name had gone in to report on the Balkan passes, work I should have been delighted with. As it was, I returned to Sandhurst, and as soon as possible resigned my appointment there and went to the Intelligence Department, on temporary service in connection with schemes for home defence.

220

CHAPTER XVI.

INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT, WAR OFFICE.

My work was the inspection of the coast with reference to possible landing-places suitable for an invading force of all arms, and the selection of defensive positions on the roads between the landing - places and strategical points inland.

My first portion of coast-line was the south side of the Bristol Channel from the mouth of the Avon to Ilfracombe, the objective strategical point being a certain part of the Thames valley. My headquarters for the six or seven summer months I established at Weston-super-Mare. Inspecting the coast in April was rather cold, but it had the advantage that at that time of year I had the shore all to myself. The nature of the work required that it should be done on foot, and I am afraid in walking along the cliffs and across private grounds extending down to the beach, I must often have been guilty of trespass; but no one ever interfered with me or questioned my right of way. Before beginning my inspections I had been very much puzzled by an official report, sent in by a public department, on harbours and landing-places on the south side of the Bristol Channel, stated to be suitable for the disembarkation of cavalry and artillery, which was quite

LANDING-PLACES ON ENGLISH COAST.

221

at variance with the information given in the 'Bristol Channel Pilot.' On visiting the places mentioned, I found they were simply small tidal harbours, dry at low water, and only used by fishing-boats and small coasters; and as for the adjacent beaches so favourably reported on, they were often nothing but jagged rocks which no boat dare approach even in a dead calm. Local photos of these harbours and pretty beaches could always be obtained, and they saved me a good deal of writing: the photos with a short description underneath-"Harbour and beach which, according to

report, are suitable for the disembarkation of cavalry and artillery"—were a sufficient explanation. One landing-place, and one only, suitable for the rapid disembarkation of an army corps, is to be found on the south side of the Bristol Channel, but that is a perfect one: there can be no objection to my now referring to it, for even in the time of Napoleon its capabilities were thoroughly well known to the French War Office.

On my sending in my report on the place in question, I was rather surprised at the head and next senior officer of the Intelligence Department coming down to see the bay. It appeared, from records in the department, that Napoleon had at one time arranged to send a diverting expedition from Brest to the Bristol Channel, but the place could not be identified until my report came in. It is odd to think that until of late years we were so ignorant of the weak points of our coast, whilst the French, even a century ago, had such a knowledge of everything required in connection with schemes of invasion of this country. Other nations have since then improved on the example set by

the French. I have no hesitation in stating that foreign War Offices must have every possible information that may be required for hostile expeditions against us, all worked out by officers who have stayed in the country and carefully gone over the ground. I had hardly commenced my inland work in the west when, on driving along the ridge of some high ground, the coachman said he could not understand why gentlemen took such interest in that road: only the previous year he had driven two gentlemen, evidently foreigners, along exactly the same way. He asked them why they took a drive on such an uninteresting road, and they said they were employed making a directory. I pointed out to the driver that to make a directory of a desolate place where there was hardly a building to be seen was rather a waste of time, but that had not occurred to him. In the following year, when doing the Yorkshire coast, I heard of a German officer staying at a hotel at Scarborough, which he had made his headquarters while doing work which on inquiry turned out to be precisely that in which I also was engaged, and my headquarters were close to—viz., at Bridlington Quay. My regret was that I did not hear about my German colleague until my work was just finished we might have done it together.

Tramping along the Bristol Channel coast away from roads, and carrying anything in the way of kit which might be required for two or three days, was rather solitary. A clean bed and food were always to be found at some village near, and the quaint places and people I often came across far more than compensated for little inconveniences. The coast scenery alone hard day's walk even. The inland work was

any

in some places was worth a in the keenest of east winds.

ANCIENT LINES OF MILITARY OPERATIONS.

223

quite luxurious, as I was permitted to hire a conveyance whenever necessary, and so could take a bag with me. Working forward from the coast, first of all with the eyes and ideas of an invader, and afterwards as a defender, was particularly fascinating from a professional point of view. One One very interesting discovery I made, and it was this, that work as independently as I might, I invariably found myself drawn on to lines of operations which had not only been those of the Civil Wars, but also those in use in the time of the Danes. Without having the least idea of where my line of advance on one occasion would lead to, I found myself eventually standing on the spot where King Alfred is said to have burnt his cakes, whilst almost within sight was the field of Sedgemoor. Only those who traverse the country as I did can have an idea of the beautiful scenery in many of the out-of-the-way parts of the west of England, and how full the country is of interesting historical places. Whenever time permitted I always inspected the village churches: they are pretty sure finds for something of antiquarian interest. The prehistoric camps on the high downs were puzzles to me with reference to the important question of water - supply, until I heard about the never-failing dew-ponds: in ancient times also, when the low country was covered with forests, the rainfall must have been much much greater than now and high-land springs more abundant.

At the end of the summer I found I had gone over something like 300 square miles, examining not only positions but also verifying roads and means of communication, which, strange to say, included inspection of several railway stations, the extent of their sidings and possibility of quickly extending them. It might