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First Lord of the Admiralty's Minutes: Fourth Series (Air, August 1913 to June 1914). [Printed].

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Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to General [Sir Ian Hamilton, General Officer Commanding-in Chief, Mediterranean] on the favourable prospects open to aeroplanes and airships in the Mediterranean, and his intention to start Air Stations at Malta and Gibraltar. [Carbon copy].

Scope and Contents Letter from General Sir Ian Hamilton, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Mediterranean, to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on naval aviation in the Mediterranean, supporting WSC's proposal to establish air stations at Malta and Gibraltar. Hamilton comments on the possibility of the Navy assuming full responsibility for the defence of places like Malta and Gibraltar, and also mentions his current visit to Australia, reporting a discussion with Senator Millen, the Defence Minister, on...

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Minute by WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to the Secretary of the Admiralty [Sir (William) Graham Greene], 4th Sea Lord [Captain Cecil Lambert] and others, on the Naval Air Service, stating that the social precedence of flying officers should be regulated by their substantive naval rank. WSC also states that flying officers should wear executive naval uniforms, but that they would be excluded from executive command outside the Air Service. [Carbon copy].

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Minute from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], to the Secretary of the Admiralty [Sir (William) Graham Greene], and the 1st Sea Lord [Prince Louis of Battenberg, later 1st Lord Milford Haven] and 4th Sea Lord [Captain Cecil Lambert], on the Naval Air Service, particularly the rank and status of Squadron Commanders, the question of uniform and the call-up of reservists. [Typescript copy].

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Letter from General Sir Charles Douglas [Chief of the Imperial General Staff] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the problem of recognition of friendly aircraft. Douglas states that he had issued orders to Commands not to fire on aircraft pending further orders, and gives a list of prohibited areas, where airships would be fired at if they did not make the prescribed signal. Douglas also comments on sending infantry to guard strategic sites against attack.

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Note by James Masterton Smith [Private Secretary to WSC] to the Director of Air Department [Captain Murray Sueter] on aircraft recognition by anti-aircraft batteries.

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Minute from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to the 1st Sea Lord [Prince Louis of Battenberg, later 1st Lord Milford Haven] on ship dispositions, also on the protection of magazines and oil tanks from "evilly disposed persons" and attacks by aircraft. [Typescript, initialled by WSC, and annotated by Battenberg].

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Minute by the Air Department, Admiralty, on prohibited areas for British airships. Includes note from Captain Murray Sueter [Director, Air Department] to the 1st Sea Lord [Prince Louis of Battenberg, later 1st Lord Milford Haven].

Scope and Contents Letter from Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in- Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on naval aircraft, recommending that they be sent back to Britain for refitting, as attempting to refit in France or Belgium would cause congestion. French states that the Royal Flying Corps would attack Zeppelin sheds as soon as the Zeppelins arrived, and that the help of the Royal Naval Air Service would be very desirable. He adds that the...

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Letter from WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] expressing disappointment at the treatment of the Naval Air Service in France and Belgium. [Hand-written copy, unsigned, annotated "Not sent"].

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Telegram from WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, to Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander-in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] on air attacks on German Zeppelin bases. WSC states that all naval aircraft and armoured cars would be withdrawn to Dunkirk [France], "so as to keep quite clear of the British Army and its communications", but would remain there for the present. [Hand-written copy, unsigned].

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Letter from John Seely [Secretary of State for War, later 1st Lord Mottistone], to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], confirming that it would be possible for naval officers to be taught flying at the Central Flying School [? Upavon, Wiltshire].

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Pamphlet by Captain C J B H Dressner, consisting of reprints from newspapers, 1894-99, on his aviation experiments.

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F Tebbitt (an old Natal Colonist) to WSC, on the use of balloons against the Boers in South Africa.

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Letter from William Cowan to the Director of the Air Department, Admiralty, [Captain Murray Sueter], on arranging an inspection of the Scott aero engine works. Includes note from Edward Marsh [Private Secretary to WSC] on arranging the inspection.

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Minute by R M Groves, Air Division, Admiralty, on the Scott aero engine, stating that the engine needed a great deal of development work, and there was no reason for the Admiralty to support it.

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Letter from William Cowan to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], on the Scott aero engine, stating that the engine was ready for inspection by an officer of the Admiralty Air Division.

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Letter from WSC to Sir Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State for Air, on the responsibilities of junior officers in anti-aircraft batteries. [carbon].

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Letter from Sir Kingsley Wood [Secretary of State for Air] (Air Ministry) to WSC explaining Air Ministry policy on anti-aircraft responses to hostile activity and allowing authority in this matter to rest with the Commander-in-Chief, Fighter Command [Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding].

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Letter from Sir Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State for Air, (Air Ministry) to WSC agreeing that Germany may try to attack the Air Force as an initial act, and explaining that steps had been taken to protect the aircraft industry.

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Letter from Squadron Leader Charles Anderson (Royal Air Force Station, Catfoss, near Hull [Yorkshire]) to WSC, enclosing a memorandum on the unfitness for service of a number of aerodromes on the West Coast, rendering trained men such as himself unemployed during a time of shortage of men and machinery.

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Letter from WSC to Lieutenant-Colonel John Moore-Brabazon [later 1st Lord Brabazon of Tara] regretting that he did not wish to be considered for the position of civil head of the Fleet Air Arm which WSC was proposing to introduce. [carbon].

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Letter from WSC to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain suggesting [1st] Lord Lloyd [of Dolobran] for the post of Additional Civil Lord overseeing the Fleet Air Arm and [Alfred] Duff Cooper [later 1st Lord Norwich] to take over Lloyd's position as Chairman of the British Council. [carbon].

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Letter from [Vice-]Admiral Sir Alexander Ramsay to WSC refusing a verbal offer of an appointment and commenting on the Fleet Air Arm.