September 5, 1914.
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.