So you can't cable your family: "Weather fine, come over." Of course Germany should not be allowed to know the English forces, their exact number and distribution.

I was told over and over again in good newspaper quarters in London that the English had only 100,000 men at the front, and did not propose to have any more until Kitchener led his army of a million men or more to the Continent next spring.
I, of course, said nothing, but I knew a great deal better, both from War-Office sources and from contact with the English officers in France.
It would not be right, although information was not given me in confidence, to attempt to name the exact number and position of troops Kitchener had on the Continent toward the close of December.

But I may tell what anybody was free to pick up on French soil.

I asked an English officer of good rank how many men the English had at the front and he responded promptly 220,000 at the front, and 50,000 on the lines of communication.

He was right for that date in early December, but later more troops were sent over.