Statement by WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty on the resignation of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher as 1st Sea Lord, mainly over the Dardanelles [carbon].

Letter from Sir Francis Villiers, [Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Belgium] to WSC, enclosing a letter from Colonel John Seely [later 1st Lord Mottistone] on the behaviour of the sailors and marines in the retreat from Antwerp.

Letter from Francis Grenfell to WSC, asking for help in obtaining an armoured car with a machine gun for his squadron; also giving an account of an action at Neuve Chapelle [France] and of trench warfare generally, particularly the difficulties of keeping in touch with the artillery.

Letter from Francis Grenfell, (Dublin [Ireland]) to WSC, giving an account of fighting at Messines [Belgium], problems with the artillery, the shortage of machine guns, and his being wounded.

Letter from Field Marshal Sir John French [Commander- in-Chief, British Expeditionary Force, later 1st Lord Ypres] to WSC, on meeting with General Joseph Joffre [Commander-in-Chief, French Army] on the military situation in France and Belgium, particularly the possibility that a joint expedition to Ostend might have to be postponed.

Note from Edward Marsh [Private Secretary to WSC] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], reporting on his meeting with Noel Noel-Buxton on the Balkans, particularly the need to persevere with diplomacy, and the misfortune of having the pro-Serbian Sir Henry Bax-Ironside as [Minister Plenipotentiary] to Bulgaria.

Telegram from Sir George Buchanan [British Ambassador to Russia], to the Foreign Office, reporting that he had delivered a message from WSC to the Grand Duke Nicholas, and that the Russian fleet would proceed to the Bosphorus [Karadeniz Bogazi, Turkey]. [Typescript copy].

Telegram from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Vice-Admiral Sackville Carden [in command of naval operations at the Dardanelles], on the Dardanelles campaign, urging him to destroy the forts at Chanak, and stating that the results to be gained were great enough to justify the loss of ships and men which success could not be obtained without. [Hand-written drafts, initialled by WSC. See also CHAR 13/45/165.].

Minute from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War], on the landing of the Royal Naval Division in the Dardanelles: WSC suggests that a good General be sent there to take command of the troops, including the Royal Naval Division, and suggests Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston. [Hand-written copy].

Telegram from Sir Francis Elliot [British Minister, Athens, Greece] to the Foreign Office, reporting that the Acting Chief of the Greek General Staff had resigned rather than comply with orders to send troops elsewhere than to the Bulgarian frontier.

Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Mark Sykes to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, on German plans to involve Turkey in the war, and raise Pan-Islamic forces against the Allies. Sykes offers to take his Battalion to the Middle East, and to put his local knowledge to good use, to "raise native scallywag corps, win over notables, or any other oddment".

Letter from Sir Edward Grey [Foreign Secretary] to WSC, hoping that Rear-Admiral Edward Troubridge [commanding Mediterranean Cruiser Squadron] would not show hostile actions against Turkey, and would keep in touch with Sir Louis Mallet [British Ambassador to Turkey].

Letter from Admiral Arthur Limpus [Naval Adviser to the Turkish Government], (Constantinople [later Istanbul, Turkey]) to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], giving an account of his recent actions, of the status of the German cruisers Goeben and Breslau and the hopes of Turkey from a war.

Letter from Admiral Arthur Limpus, [Naval Adviser to the Turkish Government], to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], giving an account of the replacement of British officers with Turks in the Turkish fleet, and the political and military situation in Turkey.

Telegram from Sir Louis Mallet [British Ambassador to Turkey], to the Foreign Office, on his meeting with the Turkish Minister of Marine following Britain's seizure of the Turkish battleship Sultan Osman [later HMS Agincourt, building at Newcastle-upon- Tyne], and on British relations with Turkey. [Carbon].

Telegram from Sir Louis Mallet [British Ambassador to Turkey] to the Foreign Office, on the favourable reaction of the Turkish Minister of War [Enver Pasha] to WSC's message about compensation for Britain's seizure of Turkish ships [particularly the Sultan Osman, renamed HMS Agincourt]. [Typescript copy, initialled by Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary].

Telegram from Sir Louis Mallet [British Ambassador to Turkey] to the Foreign Office, on his concerns about causing panic in Turkey with reinforcements to the British fleet, and a warning to the forts at the Dardanelles that they would be bombarded by the fleet if German ships came out. [Typescript copy].

Letter from Admiral Arthur Limpus [Naval Adviser to the Turkish Government] to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, on preparations for war in Turkey, stating that Constantinople [later Istanbul] was in German hands, including press, supplies, communications, and Ministry of War and Army, and predicting that Turkey would break neutrality in about 10 days.

Letter from Admiral Arthur Limpus [Naval Adviser to the Turkish Government] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], on the naval situation in Turkey and attitudes towards Britain. [Incomplete, page 1 missing].

Letter from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Field Marshal 1st Lord Kitchener [Secretary of State for War], hoping that he would not keep General Sir Ian Hamilton [commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force], too short of men, adding that a loyal man like Hamilton would go on with what he had and never say a word until he cracked up. WSC suggests that another 20,000 men be sent to the Dardanelles. [2 Hand-written copies signed by WSC].

Draft note from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to [Vice-Admiral Sackville Carden, in command of naval operations at the Dardanelles], on the Dardanelles campaign, stating that the results to be gained by attacking were great enough to justify the loss of ships and men which success could not be obtained without. [Hand-written drafts, initialled by WSC. See also CHAR 13/45/120-122.].