A.—4

3

The Right Hon. H. A. L. Fisher, M.P., President of the Board of Education. The Right Hon. F. G. Kellaway, M.P., Postmaster-General. Sir Eyre A. Crowe, G.C.M.G., X.C.8., Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Field-Marshal Sir H. H. Wilson, Bart., C.C.8., D.5.0., Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Sir C. J. B. Hurst, X.C.8., K.C., Legal Adviser, Foreign Office. Sir B. P. Blackett, X.C.8., Controller of Finance, Treasury. Sir G. L. Barstow, X.C.8., Controller of Supply Services, Treasury. Major-General Sir F. H. Sykes, G.8.E., X.C.8., C.M.G., Controller-General of Civil Aviation. Captain E. F. C. Lane, C.M.G., Private Secretary to General Smuts. The Right Hon. Sir Robert Home, G.8.E., K.C., M.P., Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Right Hon. Lord Lee of Fareham, C.8.E., X.C.8., First Lord of the Admiralty. Captain the Right Hon. F. E. Guest, C.8.E., D.5.0., M.P., Secretary of State for Air. Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty, 0.M., G.C.8., G.C.V.0., D.5.0., First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff. Air-Marshal Sir H. M. Trenchard, Bart., X.C.8., D.5.0.. Chief of the Air Staff. Sir Phillip Lloyd-Greame, K.8.E., M.C., M.P., Director of Overseas Trade Department. Sir H. Llewellyn Smith, G.C.8., Chief Economic Adviser to His Majesty's Government. Rear-Admiral Sir E. P. F. G. Grant, 1CC.V.0., C.8., First Naval Member of Naval Board and Chief of Australian Naval Staff. Captain B. E. Domvile, C. M. G., R.N., Director of Plans Division, Admiralty. Mr. C. Hipwood, C.8., Mercantile Marine Department, Board of Trade. Mr. L. C. Christie, Legal Adviser to Department of External Affairs, Canadian Government. Apart, from the plenary meetings, the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Dominions met on eleven occasions, and eight meetings of committees were held at the Colonial Office. The greater part of the proceedings, particularly that relating to foreign affairs and defence, was of a highly confidential character, comparable rather to the work of the Imperial War Cabinets of 1917 and 1918 than of the Imperial War Conferences of those years. Other parts, though not so secret in their nature, were intermingled with matter which, must for the present be kept confidential. In regard to such discussions only an indication has been given here of their general tenor. 11. Opening Statements. Mr. Lloyd George, as Chairman, opened the proceedings with a comprehensive review of the situation in which the Conference had assembled. He outlined its task's, stated broadly the principles of policy which commended themselves to the British Government, and dwelt upon the significance of the Conference and the importance of its work. He was followed in turn by all the other Prime Ministers, by Mr. Sastri for India, and by Mr. Churchill for the Colonies and Protectorates. This preliminary discussion occupied two days. The speeches were published in full immediately afterwards, and are attached to this summary. (See Appendix I.) 111. Foreign Policy. The Conference then addressed itself to a detailed consideration of the foreign po'.icy of the British Empire. The discussion on this was opened by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who made an exhaustive statement upon the course of Eoreign affairs since the Peace Conference. His statement was supplemented by Mr. Churchill, who dealt with the special problems' of the Middle East.