The World Crisis, Volume 1 (of 6)

Chapter 48: LIFE-BELTS

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About This Book

The author, writing from his experience as First Lord of the Admiralty before and during the opening years of the war, provides a detailed, document-based account of naval policy and operations. He describes prewar strategic preparations and shipbuilding, the mobilisation and concentration of the fleet, blockade and convoy measures, ocean-wide searches for enemy commerce raiders, countermeasures to submarine attacks, and the planning that led to operations in the Dardanelles and on the European coasts. The narrative interweaves published memoranda, minutes and telegrams with analysis of victories, losses and administrative controversies, and includes technical appendices, maps and tables.

LIFE-BELTS

Secretary.
First Sea Lord.
Fourth Sea Lord.
Chief of Staff.

The sinking of the Pathfinder shows how important it is that there should be more life-belts or life-buoys available on our ships. Many lives would have been saved in this case if such steps had been taken. I don’t like the German system of going into action with life-belts on, but there certainly ought to be in the boats and on the deck of British ships something like 100 life-belts or life-buoys which could be seized and would float overboard if the vessel foundered.

Pray let me have a proposal.

W. S. C.

September 10, 1914.