This volume reproduces the January 1856 Cabinet Confidential print, compiled when the British Government still anticipated further campaigns in both main theatres.
Following the successful bombardment of Sweaborg in August, extensive planning for an assault on Cronstadt and the decision to retain Admiral Sir Richard Dundas in command the material is significantly less contentious than that for 1854. With the Crimean campaign dominating the attention of British and French politicians and media Baltic operations had been largely ignored until the fall of Sevastopol in September. By December the Baltic was once again the central focus of British war planning.
The volume deals extensively with the legal issues raised by economic warfare, diplomatic relations with neutrals, coastal warfare, blockade service and the problems of allied co-operation. The 1854 and 1855 Baltic prints have excellent introductions by Admiralty Librarian David Bonner-Smith.
Biography
David Bonner-Smith was Admiralty Librarian, joining the library staff in March 1911. He was made deputy librarian on the death of W.G. Perrin in 1931, and appointed to the chief post in March 1932. He retired in May 1949 at the age of 60. It was said of him that he knew every one of the 100,000 books in the library, but was also familiar with all their contents. It is certain that he could direct students and enquirers to whatever reference they needed. He was editor of The Mariner’s Mirror from 1932 to 1939.
