The Henson Journals

[44]

Friday, November 16th, 1917.

1201st day

I succeeded in finishing the Edinburgh Article, but was nowise satisfied with it. However I read most of it to Hadow, & he seemed to approve of it, so it will have to serve. I attended Mattins, & attended a meeting of the Economic Committee in the dining room, where we worked at the Report. The Socialist fanatick, Gobat, will probably add some note of his own. This will at least indicate that he stands by himself. After the meeting Hadow & I walked for an hour. The sunset was amazingly beautiful.

My letters today were of no great interest. Spooner, the Archdeacon of that ilk writes from Lambeth Palace, where he was attending a meeting of Archdeacons & Rural Deans, to ask me to visit him at Canterbury, when I come south for the R.C.C meeting. He makes no reference to the Hereford appointment, from which I conclude that it has been made, & that he doesn't feel free to mention the fact. Gilbert writes to say that he has been moved into the Flanders mud and expects shortly to be in action. Lord Londonderry writes pleasantly in response to a letter which I sent to him expressing my satisfaction at his gift of Pelaw Wood to the City

The "Times" contains a letter from Lord Northcliffe addressed to the Prime Minister, & declining the offer of the Air Ministry. This letter is written in the worst possible spirit, & might seem deliberately calculated to make mischief with America. The vulgarity and vanity of the writer are, however, now so widely known, that his utterances are always subject to a heavy discount. If the Americans are as shrewd as their reputation suggests, they will see through him.

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