So many thanks for darling letter. I am more than glad that you liked my speech. It is cruel that you are never there on these occasions – neither your fault nor mine, but the worst of bad luck – for me. . . . Still no names. French as you will see from enclosed telegram wh. came this morning knows of our anxiety. As they were constantly retiring they must have left many wounded behind and could not go back to collect them. There are horrible stories of the Germans killing them, which one prefers not to believe. The burning of Louvain is the worst thing they have yet done. It reminds one of the Thirty Years War (did you in your early youth as I did read that extremely dull book, Schiller’s History of the 30 years war?) & the achievements of Tilly & Wallenstein. I believe the library was one of the best in Europe, and some of the buildings & churches were almost unique. French, as you see, is getting a rest at last, wh. he must sorely need. When the details come in I believe his day’s fighting will be found to be one of our best military feats. We hope & believe that at last the French have linked up & are giving him proper support. My letter to the Mayors seems to be well received. We had a Cabinet this morning wh. lasted for 2 hours and did an enormous lot of miscellaneous business. There were 2 things that will interest you. One was a proposal to be made to the Russian Gov to send 3 or 4 Siberian Army Corps, wh. are difficult to move South, to Archangel on the White Sea. Would then transport them in 5 or 6 days to Ostend or some other port, where they would either join Sir J. French, or harass & cut the German communications. Don’t you think this is rather a good idea? (Of course, very secret.) The other thing was the news that about 16,000 Belgian troops from Namur & the neighbourhood escaped & accompanied the French armies, and are now at or about Havre. We are going to transport & land them at Ostend, where they can relieve Winston’s little brigade of Marines. Winston estimates our loss on the sea yesterday at near 200, killed & wounded (mostly of course the latter) and the German loss – mostly drowned – at not less than 1500. Curiously enough the ship of ours that suffered the most was the Arethusa – the first of Winston’s own ships to take the water: all the rest are M’Kenna’s or pre-M’Kenna’s – a beautiful light cruiser of 30 knots, which only came out of the dock a day or two ago & was making her first voyage. Among the other subjects wh. came up – they range in these days from the infinitely great to the infinitely small – was that of Carrier Pigeons! Both Winston & Kitchener are rather suspicious of them, and the task of securing the speedy liberation of the whole tribe from captivity was left in the deft hands of the Home Secretary: just the man for such a job – don’t you agree? The Impeccable & Lord K. are coming to lunch.