Lympne Castle, Lympne, Kent. Sunday morning 23rd [August 1914] . . . I was not disappointed. Your darling little letter came just as I awoke: it was most considerate of you to write so early. . . . It is rather a windy day with beautiful lights & shadows over the whole extent of the marsh. Out at sea but quite near we can see a squadron of 8 battle-ships and 2 cruisers creeping slowly along. I don't know why they are so far up the Channel: there is another Division (making 5) of our troops being transported across to-day: I suppose from Southampton & New- haven, as we see nothing of them here. I wrote to Kitchener that I wished to be kept informed well in advance of any movements to the front, and you may like to see his answer. The message from French is re-assuring. It looks as tho' the Germans intended to try to force their way through the trouée between Lille & Maubeuge: if so they ought to get a heavy hammering, but everything that we know or hear points to their army being of the best quality and well led.