Worse still when Polly put out to sea and came athwart the First Lord. All he sought was information as to whether the First Sea Lord, having publicly alluded to the danger of relying exclusively on the fleet to protect the country from invasion, "subsequently went back on his word."
"A most insulting and unfair remark," said Winston. "It will," he continued, "do nothing but harm if the Navy think the Chiefs whom they honour and respect are to be subjected to offensive personal attacks of this character directed against them by ex-military men who have gone into politics."
"Only let me have five minutes with him, Mr. Deputy Speaker," said the ex-military man nervously turning up his coat cuffs.
Getting dangerously close to eleven o'clock, at which hour debate, if continued, must automatically close. Winston punctilious in leaving the five minutes demanded. Pole-Carew's retort perhaps scarcely up to occasion.
"I can only say," he remarked, "that the Secretary for War and the First Lord of the Admiralty are worthy to sit on the same bench as the Chancellor of the Exchequer."
Business done.—First Lord explained his Naval policy.
Thursday.—Swift MacNeill introduces new Parliamentary formula. Discussing on Civil Service Vote state of things in Rhodesia as dominated by the Chartered Company he was interrupted by remark from Ormsby-Gore.
Throwing back his head with lofty scorn, and making a few windmill passages with his arms, Member for Donegal said, "I am not going to be interrupted by any gentleman of the House of Cecil."
