A.—2

22

The General Committee has reported progress to the Ministerial Committee appointed by the War Cabinet to deal with the subject, and it is understood that the Ministerial Committee has submitted a report on the whole scheme to the War Cabinet. A short memorandum setting forth the proposed scope of the Museum and inviting contributions was prepared, and, with the approval of His Majesty the King, has been circulated officially in the Navy and Army. At the beginning of July it was decided by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury that the National War Museum Vote should be placed under Class IV, making it thereby a separate institution, with the Secretary as Accounting Officer. The General Committee by its constitution is in closest touch with the Admiralty, War Office, Ministry of Munitions, and, since the foundation of a separate Ministry, with the Air Force. In addition to these Departments, the Committee are co-operating with the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, Home Office, Stationery Office, Department of Information, War Trade Intelligence, Postal Censor, and other Government Departments intimately connected with the war. Relations have been opened through the Foreign Office with British Embassies, Legations, and Consulates in all Allied and neutral countries, from which sources are received reports of British activities abroad, and in many cases interesting exhibits of broadsheets, Proclamations, photographs, and indigenous war souvenirs. At the unanimous request of the Dominions Sub-Committee of the National War Museum, the Ministerial Committee decided that the title might be altered to " Imperial W T ar Museum," pending flic sanction of the War Cabinet. The initial difficulties of correlating the work of the several Government Departments involved have been great, and in addition to this the war activities of semi-official and private organizations have had to be considered and recorded, as the Committee have found as the work of organization progressed that it was essential to record in some measure practically the whole life of the nation as affected by the war. The following Sub-Committees have been appointed to deal with the several Sections into which the Museum has been tentatively divided : — Admiralty Sub-Committee. War Office Sub-Committee. Commander C. C. Walcott (Chairman). lan Macpherson, Esq., M.P. (Chairman). Representative of— 13. B. Cubitt, Esq., C.B. Anti-Submarine Department. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Arthur Leetham, C.M.G. Director of Naval Construction. Representatives of the Chief of Imperial General Director of Naval Ordnance. Staff, the Master-General of the Ordnance, Director of Torpedoes and Mines. and the Quartermaster-General. Engineer-in-Chief. Captain H. G. Parkyn (Secretary). Director of Stores. Inspector of Trophies, G.H.Q. — Commander Orme-Webb. Major-General C. G. Donald, C.B. Assistant Inspector —Major Beckles W 7 illson. Medical Section. Major F. S. Brereton, R.A.M.C. Air Services Sub-Committee. Munitions Sub-Committee. Colonel MacLean, R.F.C. (Chairman). \ Colonel J. R. Stansfeld, C.B. (Chairman). Captain Darley, R.F.C. , N Major C. S. Paulet, M.V.O. Captain Mackinlay, R.F.C. ' °* Major A. 0. Boyd. Commander Meares, R.N.A.S. k.a.jj.' Captain P. A. Cooper. Flight-Commander de Ville, R.N.A.S. 1 H. H. Piggott, Esq. Lieut.-Colonel M. B. Bicknell. Dominions Sub-Committee. Library Sub-Committee. India—Right Hon. Lord Islington, G.C.M.G., Professor C. W. C. Oman, F.S.A. (Chairman). & 0i Sir Julian Corbett, LL.M, F.S.A. Canada—Colonel K. C. Folger. lan Malcolm, Esq., M.P. New Zealand —The High Commissioner. George W. Prothero, Esq., F.B.A. Commonwealth of Australia — Lieut.-Colonel Captain C. T. Atkinson, W.O. Records. L. J. Hurley. A- Forbes Sieveking, Esq., F.S.A. (Librarian). South Africa—The High Commissioner. Loan Exhibitions Committee. Women's Work Sub-Committee. Director-General (Chairman). Hon. Lady Norman, C.B.E. (Chairman). Commander Orme-Webb, R.N. (Admiralty). Hon. Lady Haig. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Arthur Leetham (War Office). Lady Askwith, C.B.E. Lieutenant Insall (Air Services). Lady Mond. Lieut.-Colonel Bicknell (Munitions). Mrs. Carey Evans. Sir Whitworth Wallis (Local Museums). Miss Durham, C.B.E. • Lieutenant Charles ffoulkes (Imperial War Miss Monkhouse, M.B.E. Museum). Miss Conway (Hon. Secretary). Captain Parkyn (Secretary).