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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 edition. Excerpt:... once more for their view the General Staff at the War Office at home urged that if Bagdad was to be occupied Nixon must have another two divisions. Sir E. Barrow took the same view. Meanwhile Kemball had been sent up from Basra to Kut to interview Townshend. The Chief of Staff arrived at Kut on October 19, and the interview took place on the very day that at home the Naval and Military General Staff reported against the project on the existing footing. Coincidentally too there was being pushed up to Townshend a feeble reinforcement consisting of five squadrons of cavalry, two battalions of infantry, and one battery of Royal Horse Artillery. About the problem of transport nothing appears to have been done. Coincidentally also pressure was being brought to bear on the Government of India. The Commander-in-Chief in India again had the matter referred to him, and this time assented to the project provided a full division of reinforcements could be guaranteed to reach Mesopotamia within two months. The Secretary of State on October 21 represented to the Viceroy that prospects in Gallipoli being very uncertain, and the German attempt to break through to Constantinople looking as though it would succeed, " we "--presumably the British Government--" have great need of a striking success in the East." He added a warning that some 60,000 Turks might be concentrated at Bagdad by January, though the Turks' then present estimated strength in that quarter was only about 9,000. To this representation the reply of the Viceroy was that in his judgment the right policy was to take the risk and occupy Bagdad without delay. The Secretary of State rejoined (October 31): " If Nixon is satisfied that the force he has is...