In that capacity he attended the famous CID meeting on 23 August, at which the government rejected the Royal Navy's proposal that 5 divisions guard Britain whilst one land on the Baltic coast in the event of war with Germany. Instead the Army's plan, to send an Expeditionary Force of between four and six divisions to France, was adopted.[4] He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station in 1912.[2] He was appointed Officer Commanding the Royal Navy War College at Portsmouth in 1913.[2]