In his first encounter with official Washington Sir William needed all that sense of the ludicrous with which he is abundantly endowed.

This took the form of a long interview with Secretary Bryan on the foreign policy of Great Britain.

The Secretary harangued Sir William on the wickedness of the British Empire, particularly in Egypt and India and in Mexico.

The British oil men, Mr.Bryan declared, was nothing but the "paymasters" of the British Cabinet.
"You are wrong," replied the Englishman, who saw that the only thing to do on an occasion of this kind was to refuse to take the Secretary seriously.

"Lord Cowdray hasn't money enough.