Mr. Lloyd George began to realise that the need for big guns was the centre of the situation.
After his cross-examination was over, Mr. Lloyd George turned to General Du Cane:
“Don’t you think you had better go back and revise your estimates?”
General Du Cane promptly agreed—he had himself been converted. He went back to Headquarters.
At midday there was a break in these urgent talks. M. Albert Thomas suggested that in the afternoon they ought to have a formal meeting to go into the whole subject.
“I am sorry,” said Mr. Lloyd George, “but I must get back to England.”
“Go back already?”
“Yes, already—there is not a moment to be lost. These big guns must be ordered.”
He went back. A revived estimate of the munition requirements in France was sent to Whitehall. Mr. Lloyd George increased that estimate. He sent it across to Lord Kitchener. The great man, willing but doubtful of our resources, sent it back with a comment: “That will take three years.”[[92]]
Mr. Lloyd George then called together all the heads of the armament firms. He laid the scheme before them. They viewed it with grave doubts. They produced laborious estimates—discussed—consulted their chiefs.