Maritime matters were the major news today. Britain’s response to the intensified submarine war was to tighten the blockade further on Germany, whilst the House of Commons “had the pleasure of listening to two memorable speeches” on both the submarine menace and the blockade from Sir Edward Carson and Winston Churchill. The latter indeed seems to have greatly impressed our anonymous reporter, “worthy of his great abilities” and with a marked change in his manner of delivery – “its egotism suppressed” he noted, “and there was not only gravity in his counsel but an unwonted modesty in his bearing.”