CHURCHILL, Winston S. Autograph letter signed to David Lloyd George, Board of Trade, 20 February 1909, marked 'Secret', on the subject of his negotiations with Sir Edward Grey (the foreign secretary) aimed at resolving the Cabinet crisis over the funding of the battleship construction programme, in which he is now hopeful of some progress; he lists the proposed solutions, ranging from the immediate construction of four battleships, with two more later if necessary, '& in the interval more evidence', to a declared programme of 20 battleships at the rate of four a year, or making 'a great future of expansion of gun & turret plant', or finally finding economies in the rest of the budget estimates to fund the programme; he has hinted to Grey that Lloyd George's instinct is for a combination of the second and third suggestions, and Grey is to put the ideas to Reginald McKenna (1st Lord of the Admiralty), 2 pages, 4to, framed and glazed, with a portrait photograph.