By the terms of their appointment the committee were directed
"to consider and advise on the evidence collected on behalf of
his Majesty's Government as to outrages alleged to have been
committed by German troops during the present war, cases of
alleged maltreatment of civilians in the invaded territories,
and breaches of the laws and established usages of war; and to
prepare a report for his Majesty's Government showing the
conclusion at which they arrive on the evidence now
available."
It may be convenient that before proceeding to state how we have dealt
with the materials, and what are the conclusions we have reached, we
should set out the manner in which the evidence came into being, and its
nature.
In the month of September, 1914, a minute was, at the instance of the
Prime Minister, drawn up and signed by the Home Secretary and the
Attorney General. It stated the need that had arisen for investigating
the accusations of inhumanity and outrage that had been brought against
the German soldiers, and indicated the precautions to be taken in
collecting evidence that would be needed to insure its accuracy.
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