Winning the Peace

The Financial Facilities for Trade Committee was established on 1 July 1916. It was chaired by Lord Faringdon. One of its key objectives was to establish a scheme to meet the needs of British businesses for financial facilities after the war, particularly the financing of large overseas contracts. Its recommendations would ultimately result in the establishment of the British Trade Corporation on 21 April 1917. Although the expected outcome of the war changed during the course of the conflict, before 1917 it was generally anticipated that Germany would be strong enough at the end of hostilities to undertake a major drive to recover its lost markets. In these circumstances, a financially strong institution was believed to be needed to safeguard and extend British interests after the war.