ABSTRACT
The Memorandum began by urging that various projects discussed at the War Council for naval action against coast fortifications must be linked to some clear statement of naval policy. It went on to compare the strategical difficulties created for us by the purely defensive attitude of the German Fleet with those created by the French Fleet in avoiding a naval decision during the Seven Years War. The War Council did not reassemble until January 28th and on that day in the interval several important events had taken place, notably the action of the Dogger Bank on January 24th when the enemy battle-cruiser Bluecher was sunk meetings were virtually continuous. The Council met in the morning and in the afternoon there was held the first and only meeting of the sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence which had been set up by the Council's resolution on January 10th.
