Great Britain. Public Record Office. MEMORANDA: 1915 TO 1922. CAB. 24.

London: Public Record Office, 1967
31 reel(s)

Papers prepared by ministers and officials that were printed and circulated to the British Cabinet from 1915 to 1922 are included. Their purpose was to initiate discussion of new policies, to state arguments for and against proposals made by ministers or departments, or simply to provide background information on topics to be discussed by the Cabinet. Although matters discussed at Cabinet meetings were frequently raised verbally by a minister, the most common method of bringing any subject to the attention of the Cabinet was by circulation of printed or typewritten memoranda in advance of a meeting. Among matters discussed were expenditures, activities of the League of Nations, foreign relations, postwar planning, and colonial matters. Included are memoranda circulated to the War Cabinet (December 1916 – October 1919).

(List and index society series. V. 29, 41, 52, 156). These indexes provide subject access to the collection.
NOT IN MERLIN

FILM 10:13-14

Guides:

Great Britain. Public Record Office. List & Index Society Series

Great Britain. Public Record Office. The records of the Cabinet Office to 1922.

Great Britain. Public Record Office. MINUTES AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE WAR CABINET AND CABINET. CAB. 23/1-47, 61-67, 81-88.

London: Public Record Office, 1967
16 reel(s)

Minutes and conclusions of the War Cabinet, formed on December 9, 1916, span the period from 1916 to 1937. Subjects discussed are naval, military, domestic, and diplomatic matters such as news from the battle fronts, troop movements, disposition of guns and munitions, man-power planning, agreements with other countries, and peace proposals. Later meetings discuss reparations, treaties, shipping, continuing problems in Ireland, and foreign relations. The papers provide an unambiguous statement of each decision reached, a general synopsis of the expert evidence upon which conclusions were based, and a general summary of the arguments for and against the decisions made.

(List and index society series. V. 40, 51, 61, 62, 92, 100). These guides provide subject access. An index on reels 14-16 also provides subject access.

FILM 10:14

Guides:

Great Britain. Public Record Office. List & Index Society Series

Great Britain. Public Record Office. The records of the Cabinet Office to 1922.

Great Britain. Public Record Office. PAPERS OF THE COMMITTEE OF IMPERIAL DEFENSE, 1888-1914: CAB 38, 1-28.

London: Public Record Office, 1967
9 reel(s)

In 1902 the Defense Committee of the Cabinet, formed in 1895, reorganized to include not only Cabinet ministers, but also heads of the Army and Navy. In 1904, the Prime Minister took the responsibility of the chairmanship, with absolute discretion in the selection of other members. The committee considered questions of defense against invasion both at home, and in particular, overseas territories. Memoranda concern subjects such as the Russian threat to India in Afghanistan and Persia (Iran), Egyptian defense, the Suez Canal, the Far East, national insurance of war risks, mine defenses, censorship, Russian navy movements, possible military action against Germany, and use of wireless telegraphy.

NOT IN MERLIN

FILM 11:1

Guides:

Great Britain. Public Record Office. List of papers of the Committee of Imperial Defence to 1914 [by A. W. Mabbs]

The guide provides a chronological list of documents as they appear on the film. Subject content notes are provided.

Great Britain. Public Record Office. PAPERS OF THE WAR COUNCIL, DARDANELLES COMMITTEE AND WAR COMMITTEE, 1914-1916: CAB 42, 1-26.

London: Public Record Office, 1967
8 reel(s)

In November 1914, the Cabinet of Great Britain appointed a War Council to consider general matters of war policy. The War Council existed only six months. In May 1915, the Coalition government created the Dardanelles Committee to review operations in the Dardanelles and Gallipoli. Replacing the War Council, it extended its deliberations to more general strategic and operational problems. On November 3, 1915, the War Committee superseded the Dardanelles Committee. For the thirteen months of its existence, committee's agenda covered the whole range of naval and military operations and the more general aspects of war policy. By the later part of 1916, it had assumed a considerable measure of executive authority in the day-to-day conduct of the war. It dealt with complicated problems of production, manpower, food supply, shipping, and other matters affecting the war effort, as well as diplomatic relations with allies and neutral countries.

FILM

Guides:

Great Britain. Public Record Office. List of Cabinet papers, 1880-1914.