French was his superior us Com-idea-in-Chief, and Smith-Dorrion his vis-a-vis as' Commander of the 2nd Corps. According to the latter, and some impartial critics, but for Smith-Dorrien's much-debated stand at Lo Cateau, Haig's corps might have been rounded up by the Germans. That would have ended j the military career of our most tinguished British soldier off-hand. Luck was on his side, besides his own cool head and strong will, and he became French's successor as British Commander-in-Chief in 1915, post he held despite all rumours and intrigues right to the end. His Field Marshal's baton came in 1917, and no British soldier had a finer array of home and foreign orders and decorations than Earl Haig.
Early in his tenure of the supreme command, Earl Haig came psychological conflict. with the British War Premier, Mr. Lloyd George, and itis said that he Gnaly made it a rule of conduct and diplomacy never to see that versatile statesman without his military secretary or some other trustworthy person being also present. To these manifestations of imperfect trust and sympathy the gossips attribute Mr, Lloyd George's apparent re-
Tuctanee, after the War was over, to let his natural eloquence have full lay when praising Earl Haig's military achievements.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.