Folio 374: telegram from Commander-in-Chief East Indies to Admiralty 4th September...

Folio 374: telegram from Commander-in-Chief East Indies to Admiralty 4th September 1914 - re proposed convoy programme.

Folio 378: telegram from Admiralty to Commander-in-Chief East Indies, Aden 4th September 1914 - approved to put [HMS] Black Prince, [HMS] Duke of Edinburgh and [HMS] Chatham under your orders and use as you require.

Folio 380: telegram from Admiralty to Commander-in-Chief East Indies, Aden 4th September 1914 - proposed escort insufficient. The minimum escort is two ships one of which must be superior to [German cruiser] Konigsberg. Suggest regular fornightly sailings.

Folio 382: History Section Precis. M no number. (b & c) telegram from Ambassador Constantinople to Foreign Office 4th September 1914 - if Turkey allies with Germany support of an Arab movement would be most effective; it should be directed through Bin Saoud the Sheikh of Kuwait etc. First object should be to attack and hold Baghdad. M no number. (d) Sir Edmund Slade 5th September 1914 - concur. Acquisition of Mesopotamia would be serious blow to Turkey. We should obtain control of grain lands and oil fields. C.O.S. [Chief of War Staff Admiralty, Vice Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee] - [HMS] Alert should be commissioned at once and sent to Persian Gulf. M no number. (e) 1st L. [First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill] - Foreign Office should be informed of value of this operation. But it should not be a substitute for the more direct measures on which we have addressed Admiral Kerr. M no number.

Folio 383: History Section Precis, M 01780/14 (d & e) Letter from Mr Buchanan of Gray Dawes & Co to Board of Education 19th August 1914 - the situation at Basra is serious. British interests could be protected by stationing gunboats there, M 01780/14. (f) Sir Edmund Slade 5th September 1914 - gunboats would protect from actual violence but no more. All British stocks of coal and oil have been taken by the Turks, M 01780/14. (g) Rough Draft: (1) Organisation of an Arab movement would be a valuable operation against Turkey. (2) Great Britain would benefit largely from the grain lands and oil fields. (3) The loss of Mesopotamia would be a blow to Turkey and a set back to German ambition. (4) The Turks have commandeered all British stocks of coal and oil in Basra and Baghdad. (5) Admiralty are considering re-commissioning [HMS] Alert and hope decision not to send troops from India may be re-considered. M 01780/14.

Folio 386: telegram from Commander-in-Chief East Indies to Admiralty 5th September 1914 - revised convoy proposals. [HMS] Chatham and [RIM] Northbrook to escort 1st Division until met by [HMS] Black Prince and [HMS] Duke of Edinburgh. [HMS] Swiftsure to leave Aden 6th September 1914 and [HMS] Dartmouth to leave Aden 12th September 1914. Both with [HMS] Fox, [RIM] Dufferin, [RIM] Hardinge to escort 2nd Division leaving Bombay 18th September 1914. Next sailing 16 days later; I understand departure of troops urgent, plans made accordingly. [German cruiser] Konigsberg's movements closely watched. [Handwritten note] 1st Sea Lord, Winston Churchill - Can we answer for [German cruiser] Konigsberg's movements with any certainty.

Folio 387: telegram from [HMS] Pegasus at Zanzibar to Admiralty 5th September 1914 - arrived at Zanzibar. Transport Nairung left Mombasa for Bombay this morning.

Folio 389: telegram from Viceroy to Admiralty 5th September 1914 - following ships sailed from Bombay on 3rd September - 7th Division: [merchant ship] Barala with 107 Pioneers, [merchant ship] Mongara with headquarters 9th R.F.A. Brigade, 19th battery R.F.A., Headquarters 19th Field Veterinary Section and details Accounts Department, [merchant ship] Elysia with 5 Field Ambulance special service officers. 9th Cavalry Brigade: [merchant ship] Ula- N Battery R.H.A.[Royal Horse Artillery], [merchant ship] Urlana - Brigade Ammunition Column and Field Troop, [merchant ship] Fultala -3 sections Field Ambulances, Signal troop, supply establishment Ordnance Field Park and bakery and butcher sections, [merchant ship] Thonga - Sherwood Foresters, strength 22 officers, 5 ladies, 2 children, 979 other ranks, 33 women, 45 children and 1 horse.

Folio 391: telegram from [HMS] Espiegle Colombo to Admiralty 6th September 1914 - arrived at Colombo.

Folio 392: telegram from Commander-in-Chief East Indies, Aden to Admiralty 6th September 1914 - [HMS] Chatham, [RIM] Northbrook and 7 transports arrived Aden and will be detained 6 or 7 days till arrival of [HMS] Dartmouth. As Red Sea is safe suggest [HMS] Chatham alone take them on immediately and [HMS] Dartmouth's 7 ships be escorted from Aden to Suez by early opportunity. [RIM] Northbrook coming from India about 12th September.

Folio 394: Admiral Sir Henry Jackson's handwritten draft 6th September 1914 - naval situation in Indian Ocean necessitates strong escort between India and Aden. New timetable drawn up. After 16th sailings probably every 16 days.

Folio 396: telegram from Admiralty to Commander-in-Chief, East Indies [HMS] Swiftsure Aden 6th September 1914 - proposals approved but suggest second division and detachments from Mombasa leave together about 16th September meeting [HMS] Dartmouth en route and then detaching [HMS] Fox to East Africa.

Folio 399: telegram from Admiralty to Commander-in-Chief East Indies and Senior Naval Officer Colombo 7th September 1914 - until the China Squadron has searched Dutch East Indies for [German cruisers] Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, [HMS] Espiegle should not go east of Colombo.

Folio 401: telegram from Commander-in-Chief East Indies, Aden to Admiralty 7th September 1914 - proposal would not comply with your instructions regarding minimum escort. If Karachi group leaves before [HMS] Dartmouth arrives it will have only [HMS] Mayo. Moreover to detach [HMS] Fox half way will leave large convoy with only 2 warships in the more dangerous area and is contrary to your orders. When East Africa force is sent propose [HMS] Dartmouth escort it as she is the only match for [German cruiser] Konigsberg in speed and has to pass through water where likely to meet her.

Folio 405: telegram from HMS Chatham Aden to Admiralty 7th September 1914 - [HMS] Chatham and seven transports leaving Aden 5pm for Suez.

Folio 409: telegram from Intelligence Officer, Singapore to Admiralty 8th September 1914 - Second Officer [merchant ship] City of Winchester arrived at Singapore yesterday reported personally to me that [German merchant ship] Goldenfels was not accompanied by an armed vessel of any kind.

Folio 410; telegram from Viceroy to India Office 8th September 1914 - owing to Admiralty orders, sailings will be delayed unless Admiralty can be moved to make additional ships available to assist East Indies Squadron in this duty.

Folios 418-419: Further remarks on Escort of Indian Troops by Admiral Sir Henry Jackson 9th September 1914.

Folios 420-421: telegram from Admiralty to Commander-in-Chief [HMS] Swiftsure, East Indies 9th September 1914 - in view of urgency of transporting troops from Egypt, Admiralty orders as to strength can be modified. [HMS] Swiftsure, [HMS] Dartmouth, [HMS] Chatham, [RIM] Dufferin bring convoys 47 degrees East turn over to [HMS] Black Prince, [HMS] Duke of Edinburgh, [RIM] Hardinge. [HMS] Fox and another RIM [Royal Indian Marine] for East Africa convoy. If escorts do not call at Aden cannot fortnightly sailings be arranged.

Folio 422: telegram from HMS Pegasus Zanzibar to Admiralty 9th September 1914 - consider from wireless telegraph indications that [German cruiser] Konigsberg is in this vicinity.