CHURCHILL, Winston S.

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Autograph letter signed, to David Lloyd George, planning their response to the dreadnought debate. A revealing letter between the future wartime Prime Ministers, organizing their opposition to building more dreadnoughts at the expense of social reform.Churchill was President of the Board of Trade, Lloyd George Chancellor of the Exchequer. The pair were leading the Liberal government's programme of welfare expansion and social reform; their political alliance was matched by a close personal friendship. Churchill writes, "This will be a critical year for both of us, & also for the historic party we adorn". Indeed it was - in 1909 Lloyd George introduced the People's Budget, raising taxation on the wealthy to fund the expansion of social provision. The opposition of the House of Lords resulted in Churchill and Lloyd George undertaking a major campaign to reform the upper chamber.Marked "secret", the letter concerns Churchill and Lloyd George's opposition to First Lord of the Admiralty Reginald McKenna's proposal to increase dreadnought production from four to six battleships. Lloyd George and Churchill instead prioritized funding social reform over naval expansion, and the Cabinet was deeply divided.Churchill plans their tactics. "I fully expected that we should have to face a counterstroke from the Admiralty, & that McKenna would present his ultimatum backed by his entire board". He writes, "I wonder about what the Cabinet will say when the dreadnoughts' artillery is trained up

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