James Thursfield Papers at the National Maritime Museum

A list of the private papers of the journalist Sir James R. Thursfield in the possession of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

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Letters received by Thursfield, printed papers and proof copies of articles on naval matters, circa 1898-1914. The letters are mainly from Admiral of the Fleet Lord John A. Fisher and Captain Charles L. Ottley, in the period from 1898 to 1907. There is a proof copy of the article ‘Imperial Defence: The Strategy of Position’, written by Thursfield for the United Service Magazine Centenary Number(?).

Two letters from Joseph Brockbank, Barnard's Inn, London, to Lord Ribblesdale at Gisburne Park, Skipton, Yorkshire, dated 15 April 1808 and 20 May 1808. Also a cheque from Lord Ribblesdale for the sum of ten guineas as a contribution to the Society for the Improvement of Naval Architecture, dated 4 June 1808.

The other printed material is as follows: Pages from ‘The Engineer’ journal including articles on 'The New Admiralty Scheme' (Selbourne Scheme), published 23 January 1903. Memorandum on 'The Capture of the Private Property of Belligerents at Sea', prepared under the direction of the Prime Minister, dated 4 May 1906. Proof copy of ‘Repairs of the Fleet, Remarks on Recent Criticisms’ issued by the Director of Dockyards, 1907. ‘Correspondence respecting the European Crisis’, published by His Majesty’s Stationery Office, August 1914. The despatch from Sir Edward Goschen, British Ambassador in Berlin, entitled ‘Rupture of Diplomatic Relations with the German Government’, dated 8 August 1914.

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Bundles of pages removed from various printed journals, including ‘The National Review’, ‘The Contemporary Review’, ‘McClure’s Magazine’ and ‘The Nineteenth Century and After’, some with annotations made by Thursfield. The articles cover various topics but most relate to naval policy and expenditure, also tensions over the build-up of German naval strength.

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Letters, memoranda and printed material sent to Thursfield, mainly by Admiral of the Fleet Lord John A. Fisher, circa 1903-1913. Printed reports on the naval manoeuvres of 1894, 1897, 1899, 1900 and 1901 (with folded track charts), issued by the Intelligence Department, Admiralty. Printed booklet ‘Lord Fisher on The Navy’, containing a series of articles by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, reprinted from ‘The Times’, September 1919, published by Hodder & Stoughton, London. Also ‘The Gun in Battle’ by Arthur J. H. Pollen, printed by the author for private and confidential circulation.

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Admiralty documents 1902-03. Mostly prints on the new education scheme. Includes reports on 'The Power of Punishment', Admiralty circular letters on various topics, Printed Remarks on the New Scheme of Gunnery and Torpedo Training, and other topics; Letter from Fisher to Greene, 7 December 1903; Letter from Fisher to Thursfield, 6 January 1902; Copy of Letter from Admiral Sir John Hopkins to Admiral Montagu, 26 April 1903; Extract from Private Confidential letter from Captain A. T. Mahan, U.S.N. 'On the entry and training of officers in the Royal Navy under the new scheme'; Secret letter from Fisher to Thursfield 29 December 1903, with enclosed printed copy of letter from Captain Ottley, the Naval Attache at Paris to Fisher titled 'A Voice from the French Naval War College', 20 December 1903.

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Admiralty documents, including: Printed Reports titled: Big Battleships at High Spee Printed November 1906; Admiralty Policy. Replies to Criticism October 1906; The One Calibre Big Gun Armament for Ships. Printed June 1908; Germany Admiralty View of British Admiralty Policy; The Balance of Power in 1906; The State of the Navy. Preamble. Draft Typescript; The Strategic Aspect of our Building Programme 1907; Navy and Dockyards. A Statement of Admiralty Policy, 14 November 1905; The Home Fleet, December 1906; Various letters connected with production of the above.

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Admiralty documents including: Naval Necessities Vol III - August 1906; Baddeley report on a visit to USA re naval ed - December 1904; Henderson report re the Naval Force of the Commonwealth 1911; Miscellaneous prints, March 1906; War Plans Part I. Some Principles of Naval Warfare - printed 1 May 1907. Newspaper article on Commenwealth Naval Defence and two letters from Admiral Reginald Henderson to Thursfield dated 31 March 1911 and 18 April.

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Admiralty documents including: Naval manoeuvres 1912; The mutiny of 1795 AND Admiralty letter to Lord Hood; Engineering Education 1906; A discussion of the suggested: 1. Limitation of naval armaments, 2. Limitation on battleship size, 1906; Navy and Dockyards. Policy Statement 1905; Some of the results of past committees of investigation into Admiralty policy, 1907; Letter of Engineer-Rear-Admiral Pitt, 1907; Naval Questions, 1907; Extracts from Confidential Papers, Mediterranean Fleet 1899-1902; Report of the sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence appointed to inquire into certain questions of naval policy raised by Lord Charles Beresford, 12 August 1906; Recent naval reforms, A years work, 21 October 1904 - 21 October 1905; Navy Reforms (anonymous letter), Fremantle letter 1 January 1907, Times letter 3 January 1907, Morning Post letter 2 January 1907, Morning Leader 17 December 1907, Naval and Military Record lette 27 December 1906, Troubridge letter 24 May 1906, Express article 28 December 1906; Timetable Portsmouth visit 12 September 1903; The strategic aspect of our building programme, 1907; New Admiralty Scheme. Training of lieutenants in gunnery and torpedo, 1903; Manoeuvres and operations of the particular service squadrons, 1885; Quarterly Return on British and Foreign War Vessels etc, Nov 1903; New Admiralty Scheme: Third progress Report, 21 May 1903.

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Admiralty documents including: A Statement of Admiralty Policy. 1905. Cmd 2791; Naval Manoeuvres 1913; Narrative of the Combined Manoeuvres by the Mediterranean, Channel, and Cruiser Squadrons 1902. Cmd 1462; Naval Manoeuvres 1901; Naval Manoeuvres 1900; Naval Manoeuvres 1896. C 8459; The Curve of the Search; Copy of 'Report on Naval Manoeuvres, 1901'; Naval Manoeuvres 1894; Extracts from the report of the committee on the naval manoeuvres, 1888; Quarterly Return Showing Distribution of British and Foreign War Vessels. 1 November 1906; Training and Examination Scheme of Junior Officers Under the New Scheme. 1 May 1908; Training and Organisation of Engine-Room Ratings. April 1906; Circular Letter. 19 December 1902. Re naval cadet syllabus; The Entry and Training of Naval Cadets. 1914; Selection of Candidates for Nomination as Naval Cadets. 1904; Selection of Candidates for Nomination as Naval Cadets. 190; Selection of Candidates for Nomination as Naval Cadets. Nd; Memorandum dealing with the entry, training, and employment of officers and men. December 1902; The New Naval Training Scheme. (Ewing's lecture, 11 May 1906); Special Entry of Naval Cadets. 1913; Regulations for the special entry of naval cadets. 1913?; Naval Cadets 1913; Reports of Departmental Committees. (Re: extension of new scheme) 1906.

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Admiralty documents including: German naval report - November 1905; Fisher's Royal Academy speech - print of 4 May 1903; Fisher to Prince of Wales (copy) 23 October 1906; New Name for the Dreadnought - Printed January 1907; The Cruiser Policy - 1 page undated typescript; Hand-drawn diagram of use of cruisers, undated; Fisher to Tweedmouth 17 January 1907; Fisher to Thursfield 18 January 1907; Some Letters to the First Lord and Remarks on Admiralty Policy, October 1906; Report of the Navy Estimates Committee 16 November 1905; Brochure for launch of Dreadnought 10 February 1906; A Democratic Navy (holograph by Fisher) undated; Untitled typescript begins 'Lessons from Lagos...'; National Review December 1906 reprint 'The Sacrifice of Sea-Power'; Repairs of the Fleet, August 1907; Typescript on savings from scrapping useless ships; Report of the Director of Naval Ed, January 1907; The Home Fleet, December 1906; Repairs print, February 1907; Memorandum on Sea Power - Colonial Conference 1902; New Construction White Paper - 1906; Battleships Return - 18 July 1908; Navy (Vessels Struck off the Effective List) - 7 March 1905; Navy (Cruisers Struck off the Effective List) - 7 March 1905; Warships return, 3 September 1895; Arrangements for Redistribution of the Fleet, 15 March 1905; Letter of Major-General Crease - June 1898; Circular letter 1903 - re retirement and pay; Distribution and Mobilization of the Fleet, December 1904; War Arrangements, June 1907.

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Photographs taken by Thursfield, mainly in the form of circular images mounted on card, processed from roll film used in a Kodak box camera. The subjects include deck views on HMS NORTHUMBERLAND (1866), the training ship HMS REVENGE (1859), the seafront at Deal, and the passenger liners CITY OF PARIS (1889) and GERMANIC (1874).

External Links

• Catalogue record.