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Letter from Desmond Morton to WSC, on statement by the French Air Minister, Victor Denain, in which he claimed that the Germans had 1100 aircraft capable of immediate use or rapid conversion as service aircraft, and between 3500 and 4000 fully qualified pilots. His own estimate was slightly lower at 1000 military aircraft and over 3000 pilots.

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Letter from WSC to David Lloyd George, confirming that he had sent him a copy of precis he had given to Stanley Baldwin for the Air debate, mentioning that he had done the same for LLG before debate in Secret Session in 1917. Hoping that he would come to lunch to discuss the air situation, commenting that his Amendment to the Address had caused much disturbance in Government circles [carbon].

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Letter from Michael von Saint-Obyn, Newport, Kentucky, United States to WSC, on German air expansion. Stating that the Germans were "working feverishly" to bring out a more formidable military aircraft, powered by a gas turbine engine. Also on their use of light magnesium alloys for the instruction of aircraft and weapons. "The next war will be decided in the air but it will not be done by the number of planes engaged, but by the size, speed, and silence of those in operation".

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Letter from Desmond Morton to WSC, commenting on abusive anonymous letter from "An Austrian but a German" [CHAR 2/228/45-46].

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Letter from Lord Winterton, Eccleston Square, London SW1 to WSC, stating that he had been told "on high authority" that the Government were going to announce that they would "concertina" the five year RAF expansion into two years. Suggesting that a shorter period and a greater extension was necessary.

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Letter from Desmond Morton, Beaufort Gardens, London SW3 to WSC, congratulations on "masterly" speech in the Air debate in the House of Commons. Expressing relief that Stanley Baldwin had pledged not to allow the strength of the RAF to fall below that of Germany. Commenting on Baldwin's statements on the relative strength of the two air forces.

Scope and Contents Letter from Colin Coote, The Times, to WSC, congratulations on speech on defence in the House of Commons. Commenting on the absence of any official comment on German dual-purpose aircraft, stating that he disliked the easy assumption that it took months to turn a civilian pilot into a military one "the professional bunkum to which regular officers are all too prone". Stating that during the War he used to be told that it took months to make a machine gunner "but in point of fact anyone of...

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Letter from WSC to Colin Coote, The Times, commenting on the Air Debate in the House of Commons, particularly the anxiety of the Government to classify the 127 territorial Air Force machines with the best front line aircraft. Commenting that these were the oldest, had no reserves, and only weekend pilots. [carbon].

Scope and Contents Letter from F A Lindemann, (later Lord Cherwell), Christ Church, Oxford, to WSC, commenting on letter from a Mr Pollock [which has not survived]. Stating that Pollock's ideas for "aerial sentries" were well intentioned, but that there were many practical difficulties. Also stating that he had ideas for locating aircraft without sound, which would be worth exploring, and that he hoped that Britain would not be compelled to rely on fighters picking up and destroying enemy bombers. Although...

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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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Letter from Captain Hugh Watson [Naval Attache], (British Embassy, Berlin [Germany]) to Edward Marsh, [Private Secretary to WSC], reporting his observations of a new German Naval Airship.

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Letter from Captain Hugh Watson, [Naval Attache], (British Embassy, Berlin [Germany]) to Edward Marsh, [Private Secretary to WSC], with a report on hostile German press reports inveighing against the sale of a German airship to Britain.

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Submission from Captain Murray Sueter, [Director of the Air Department], (Admiralty), to WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty, on the purchase of an airship from the Parseval Company in Germany, stating that it was due for delivery by 31 Mar 1913, but that no agreement had been reached with the German Government for British Inspecting Officers to visit Germany to watch the progress of construction and attend trials.

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Minute from WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] to Prince Louis of Battenberg [1st Sea Lord, later 1st Lord Milford Haven], on naval aviation, suggesting that it should be the responsibility of the 2nd Sea Lord, Admiral Sir John Jellicoe. [Carbon].

Scope and Contents Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher (Hotel Excelsior, Naples [Italy]) to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on subjects including: relations with Germany; praising WSC's speech in Glasgow [Scotland] on Naval Defence [to the Clyde Navigation Trustees, 9 February]; criticising the visit by 1st Lord Haldane [Secretary of State for War] to Germany; warship design and construction, particularly of the "Super-Swift" and "Super-Active" classes; the importance of aircraft and submarines;...

Scope and Contents Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher (Hotel Excelsior, Naples [Italy]) to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on subjects including: relations with Germany; praising WSC's speech in Glasgow [Scotland] on Naval Defence [to the Clyde Navigation Trustees, 9 February]; criticising the visit by 1st Lord Haldane [Secretary of State for War] to Germany; warship design and construction, particularly of the "Super-Swift" and "Super-Active" classes; the importance of aircraft and submarines;...

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Letter from Lord Northcliffe [earlier Alfred Harmsworth], (Hotel Majestic, Paris [France]) to WSC, enclosing a note of his conversation with Orville Wright, on airships and aircraft, stating that the effect of bombing from airships had been exaggerated, and that Britain might have more to fear from German aircraft.

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Letter from WSC, [First Lord of the Admiralty], to Sir Robert Chalmers, [Permanent Secretary of the Treasury], objecting to the Treasury's third refusal on the subject of establishing an Air Department at the Admiralty. [Carbon].

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Letter from Board of Admiralty to the Treasury, on the Treasury's opposition to the establishment of an Air Department at the Admiralty, [draft carbon, with covering letter from WSC to Sir (William) Graham Greene, Secretary to the Board of Admiralty].

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Minute by WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty], on the protection of naval magazines at Crombie [Forfarshire, Scotland], particularly against overhead attack, predicting that within a few years it would be possible for an aeroplane depot ship to come within range of the coast and launch aircraft which could easily destroy the magazines. [Carbon].

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Letter from John Seely [Secretary of State for War, later 1st Lord Mottistone), (War Office), to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] agreeing to the proposal for the establishment of an Aeronautical Research Office under the joint control of the War Office and the Admiralty.

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Letter from Field Marshal 1st Lord Roberts, (Englemere, Ascot, Berkshire) to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] objecting to the proposed transfer of airships from the Royal Flying Corps to the Royal Navy, and the resulting loss of aviation training and experience in peacetime.

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Letter from [WSC, First Lord of the Admiralty], to [Field Marshal 1st Lord Roberts] on the proposed transfer of airships from the Royal Flying Corps to the Royal Navy. [Carbon].

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Minute by WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on provision in the new building programme to construct four airships. [Carbon copy].

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Minute by [? James Masterton Smith, Private Secretary to WSC] on inaccurate statements by Captain Gerald Vivian, commander of the Naval Flying Base ship Hermes, during discussions to decide types of aeroplanes to be bought by the Admiralty.