WE CONFESS to a feeling of nervousness when our First Lord [of the Admiralty] lets himself go and indulges in heroics. The interview between him and the Special Correspondent of the Matin shows Mr Churchill in that boastful vein, on which a nemesis seems closely to attend. "German commerce is ruined; the seas are free; this pressure upon Germany will never be relaxed until she has surrendered unconditionally" - so he is reported to have spoken. It is what we all hope and believe, it is true, but we prefer to cherish the belief in silence, lest, if some contretemps should follow our boasting, we should be made to look ridiculous. Besides, it is never safe to prophesy, but Mr Churchill did not hesitate to predict that the enemy will be frustrated in his hope of being able to interfere with the transporting of our troops. The Germans are loud in their boasts of what they are going to do in that direction, and we are, we think, justified in laughing at them on that account. We would rather have our own authorities preserve a dignified silence. We are perfectly satisfied that both the Army and the Navy are in good hands, and that they are accomplishing all they can possibly do for the safety of the country and the defeat of the enemy. We need no boastful words to keep up our courage, and the only purpose they are likely to serve is to provide merriment for Berlin.

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