February 10, 2015

Britain’s naval strength vis-a-vis the Germans concerned Churchill greatly. He had 59 dreadnoughts in the Royal Navy and planned to add two for every one Germany built. The Dominions’ contributions had to be considered as well. Australia had launched a navy; South Africa was considering a contribution but New Zealand had refused. Canada’s House of Commons had approved the contribution of three dreadnoughts, but the Senate had defeated the bill.

In addition to battleships, Churchill worked to build up the Naval Air Arm and continued his own flying lessons. He was also attempting to respond to the admonition of Lord Fisher: “Re- member that the submarine is now the dominating sea fighting factor and you are not building enough of them.” Churchill knew that he had to take an Empire view on the matter. “It is high time that the Dominions had the true strategic conception on which the Empire is conducted impressed upon them. On general grounds I do not think it is practicable without serious disadvantage to resist the widespread desire of the Dominions to confer on naval matters. “

He had little hope that the Germans would accept any deal to stop the naval race. “They will just butt in on the water as in the air.”

The political problems within the Admiralty were often reported to others on the outside. One Admiral informed Churchill that he had a chatterbox in the department: Sir Francis Hopwood, a Civil Lord of the Admiralty who had come with WSC from the Home Office but who seemed to take the side of the Admirals in most disputes.

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In November Hopwood wrote in a gossip letter to the private secretary of the King that “there is a fierce quarrel between Churchill and his Naval Lords. Churchill very foolishly travels around the coast holding reviews and inspections and so forth without reference to Naval opinion and regulation.

He is also much addicted to sending for junior officers and discussing with them the proceedings of their superiors; this naturally enrages the latter and is very mischievous to the former.” One incident very nearly led to the resignation of the four Sea Lords, but Churchill believed that his actions were in the best interests of the ordinary seamen. In a letter to Lord Fisher he stated this concern for their welfare: “As for the dockyard workmen, it is socially just that men who work all their lives faithfully for the State should have permanency and pension guaranteed, just like Admirals!”

The other danger Churchill confronted was a split in national unity over Home Rule in Ireland. On the Prime Minister’s behalf he had discussed the matter with the Unionist leader, Andrew Bonar Law, at Balmoral in September. In October Churchill spoke of the need for conciliation to meet the claims of Ulster but reiterated the intent of the Government to bring in Home Rule.

Churchill had close friendships with many Tory leaders, the closest of whom was F.E. Smith. Smith came to accept the fact that Home Rule might be inevitable, but hoped to exclude Ulster. Another friend was Austen Chamber- lain, a son of the great Joe and half-brother of the lesser Neville. In discussions with Chamberlain aboard Enchantress, Churchill suggested excluding Ulster until she “voted herself in.” Chamberlain concluded from this conversation that “Winston genuinely wants a settlement and so do Lloyd George, Grey and Asquith, but that as to the means they have no clear idea. And that the hot and cold fits succeed each other pretty quickly; that Asquith means to wait and see and will not give his casting vote till the last moment. “

It was during Churchill’s visit to Balmoral that his friendship with the Prince of Wales bloomed. He sent this account to Clementine: “Last night I had a long talk with the young Prince and we went through all my Admiralty boxes together. He is so nice and we have made rather friends. They are wor- ried a little about him, as he has become very spartan – rising at 6 and eating hardly anything. He requires to fall in love with a pretty cat, who will prevent him from getting too strenuous.”

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