The Department of External Affairs [II] was established in December 1921, but remained physically and administratively part of the Prime Minister's Department (CA 12). The Prime Minister held the portfolio until 1932. Its files were generally registered in the main series of the Prime Minister's Department (CRS A457/A458) or in the secret and confidential series (CRS A1606/A3934) until early 1927. Contemporary lists show that various printed records from British sources and League of Nations material were kept in separate runs.
The Prime Minister's Department Registry maintained separate cards and booklets for External Affairs records. A number of these are to be found in Accession CP103/10-11. There are traces in A981 of earlier numbering systems used by DEA, but few extant files. Some files dealing with post World War I reparations that bear multiple numbers with an R prefix have been registered as CRS A11344.
The first Director, EL Piesse, made an effort to collect into a single run all significant External Affairs files from earlier series, particularly CRS A1 and CRS A2. These files were rearranged into alphabetical order within subject classes and given alphabetical 'numbers', (a system that survived in the Prime Minister's Department and the Department of Territories until 1956). Those directly relevant to contemporary events were top-numbered into the current Prime Minister's Department series (CRS A457/A458); the rest (the 'dead' files) were bound into volumes. These volumes have been registered as CRS A1108 and are known familiarly as the 'Piesse papers'.
RG Casey held the position of Director of External Affairs during 1927, when the Department moved from Melbourne to Canberra. A file reorganisation seems to have preceded the move. In April, he set out instructions for the new External Affairs filing system which became CRS A981. It was a 'self-indexing' system arranged alphabetically by subject, with regular précis of file contents and frequent cross-referencing to other files.
Most of the files and records on external affairs subjects were reorganised and incorporated into CRS A981 from early 1927, including League of Nations and Committee of Imperial Defence (material which had not previously been filed) and files from the Prime Minister's Department, still in their original file covers.
The files in this series appear to have been kept alphabetically without numbers, possibly until after the series had been superseded by the multiple number system, CRS A989, in 1943. The current control numbers were imposed some time before the files were transferred into the Commonwealth Archives Office in the 1960s. The files were labelled in blue pencil by a single hand. The same person also imposed numbers in red pencil on bundles of non-current records. These were clearly imposed after the files ceased to be current, as they have been given randomly, without reference to the original order of the material.
When approximately half of the classes were transferred into Archives as CP 232, it was decided for ease of servicing the series between Archives and the Department, that within each Class a consecutive number would be imposed - hence the blue pencilled consecutive number on each file within each County or Subject.
With the advent of the computer system and the use by researchers of this series remaining high, it became increasingly more difficult to maintain the order within the boxes. With the item level entry of the series on ANGAM II, with such numbers as "League of Nations - International Law 5" for example, being used to retrieve the file, it was decided to change the former item prefix to a more manageable number of letters - the above example becoming "League Inter L 5". The majority of the item prefixes are now only three or four numbers, e.g."Bel" for Belgium; "Man" for Manchukuo.
The complete series was worked through by A & D , a new inventory of all items prepared on ANGAM II, with many corrections and additions being made, and the new prefix being applied. An index to the inventory by Subject Group was prepared.
ABYSINNIA ABY
ADEN ADE
AFGHANISTAN AFG
AFRICA AFR
ALASKA ALA
AlBANIA ALB
ALGERIA ALG
ALIENS ALI
ANTARCTIC ANT
ARABIA ARAB
ARAFURA SEA ARAF
ARCTIC ARC
ARGENTINE ARG
ASIA ASI
AUSTRALIA AUS
AUSTRIA AUSTRIA
AVIATION AVI
BELGIUM BEL
BOLIVIA BOL
BORNEO BOR
BRAZIL BRA
BULGARIA BUL
BURMA BUR
CANADA CAN
CANARY ISLANDS CANARY
CENTRAL AMERICAN REPUBLIC CEN
CEYLON CEY
CHILE CHIL
CHINA CHIN
COLUMBIA COLOM
COLONIES COLON
COMMUNISM COM
CONDOLENCES COND
CONFERENCES CONF
CONGRATULATIONS CONG
CONSULS CONS
COSTA RICA COS
CUBA CUB
CUSTOMS CUS
CYPRUS CYP
CZECHOSLOVAKIA CZE
DANZIG DAN
DECORATIONS DEC
DEFENCE DEF
DENMARK DEN
DISARMAMENT DIS
DODECANESE ISLANDS DOD
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DOM
ECONOMIC ECO
ECUADOR ECU
EGYPT EGY
EMPIRE PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION EMP
ESTONIA EST
EUROPE EUR
EXHIBITIONS EXH
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS EXTE
EXTRATERRITORIALITY EXTR
FALKLAND ISLAND FAL
FAR EAST FAR
FASCISM FAS
FIJI FIJ
FILMS FIL
FINLAND FIN
FOREIGN OFFICE FORE
FORMOSA FORM
FRANCE FRA
FRENCH EQUATORIAL AFRICA FRE
GERMANY GER
GREAT BRITAIN GREA
GREECE GREEC
GREENLAND GREEN
GUATEMALA GUA
GUIANA (BRITIISH) GUI
HAWAII HAW
HAYTI HAY
HEALTH HEA
HONDURAS HOND
HONG KONG HONG
HUNGARY HUN
ICELAND ICE
IMPERIAL RELATIONS IMP
INDIA INDI
INDO CHINA INDO
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE INT
IRAQ IRA
IRELAND IRE
IRISH FREE STATE IRI
ITALY ITA
JAPAN JAP
KERGUELEN IS KER
KOREA KOR
LATVIA LAT
LAW INTERNATIONAL LAW
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ALCOHOLIM LEAGUE ALC
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ARBITRATION CLAUSES LEAGUE ARB
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ASSEMBLIES MISCELLANEOUS LEAGUE ASS MIS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ASSEMBLY (1ST-20TH) LEAGUE ASS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - BALANCE OF PAYMENTS LEAGUE BAL
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - BILLS OF EXCHANGE LEAGUE BIL
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - BUDGET LEAGUE BUD
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - CALENDAR REFORM LEAGUE CAL
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSIT LEAGUE COM
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - CONTRIBUTIONS LEAGUE CON
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - CONVENTION LEAGUE CONV
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - COUNCIL LEAGUE COU
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - COVENANT LEAGUE COV
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - CUSTOMS LEAGUE CUS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - CUSTOMS NOMENCLATURE LEAGUE CUS NOM
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - DISARMAMENT LEAGUE DIS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - DOUBLE TAXATION LEAGUE DOU
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ECONOMIC CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE LEAGUE ECOC
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL LEAGUE ECOF
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ECONOMIC STATISTICS LEAGUE ECOS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - EDUCATIONAL FILMS LEAGUE EDU
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ELECTRIC LEAGUE ELE
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - EMERGENCY LEAGUE EME
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - FOREIGN NATIONALS LEAGUE FOR
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - FOREIGN OFFICE LEAGUE FOR OFF
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - HEALTH LEAGUE HEA
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - HYDRAULIC LEAGUE HYD
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - IMPORTS AND EXPORTS LEAGUE IMP
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - INDIGENT FOREIGNERS LEAGUE IND
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - INFORMATION SECTION LEAGUE INF
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH LEAGUE INS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - INTELLECTUAL CO-OPERATION LEAGUE INTEL
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS LEAGUE INTER A
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - INTERNATIONAL LAW LEAGUE INTER L
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL CO-OPERAT LEAGUE INTER M
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - INTERNATIONAL RELIEF UNION LEAGUE INTER R
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - LEGAL AID FOR THE POOR LEAGUE LEG
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - MANDATES LEAGUE MAN
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - MARITIME LEAGUE MAR
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - MARITIME PORTS LEAGUE MAR P
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - MEMBERSHIP LEAGUE MEM
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - MINORITIES LEAGUE MIN
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - MISCELLANEOUS LEAGUE MIS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - MONETARY AND BANKING LEAGUE MON
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS LEAGUE OBS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - OPIUM LEAGUE OPI
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - PASSPORTS LEAGUE PAS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - PCIJ(PERM.COURT OF INTER.JUSTICE) LEAGUE PCIJ
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - PENAL LEAGUE PEN
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - PRESS LEAGUE PRE
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - PROTECTION OF FOREIGH BUYERS LEAGUE PRO
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - PUBLICATIONS LEAGUE PUB
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - PUBLIC WORKS LEAGUE PUB W
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - RATIFICATIONS LEAGUE RAT
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - RAW MATERIALS LEAGUE RAW
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - REFORM LEAGUE REFO
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - REFUGEES LEAGUE REFU
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - REPRESENTATION LEAGUE REP
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - ROAD TRAFFIC LEAGUE ROA
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - SLAVERY LEAGUE SLA
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - SMUGGLING LEAGUE SMU
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - SOCIAL QUESTIONS LEAGUE SOC
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - SPECIAL ASSEMBLY LEAGUE SPE
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - STAFF LEAGUE STAF
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - STATISTICS LEAGUE STAT
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - SUPERVISORY LEAGUE SUP
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - TELEGRAPHIC LEAGUE TEL
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - TERRORISM LEAGUE TER
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - TOURIST LEAGUE TOU
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - UNION LEAGUE UNI
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - VETERINARY LEAGUE VET
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - VISITS LEAGUE VIS
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - WIRELESS LEAGUE WIR
LEAGUE OF NATIONS - WOMEN AND CHILDREN LEAGUE WOM
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS LEGA
LEGALISATION OF DOCUMENTS LEGD
LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION LET
LIBERIA LIB
LIECHTENSTEIN LIE
LITHUANIA LIT
LUXEMBURG LUX
MADAGASCAR MAD
MALAYA MAL
MALTA MALT
MANCHUKUO MAN
MAPS MAP
MARRIAGES FOREIGN MARR
MARSHALL AND CAROLINE ISLANDS MARS
MEXICO MEX
MIGRATION RESTRICTIONS MIG
MISCELLANEOUS MIS
MIXED ARBITRAL TRIBUNALS MIX
MONTENEGRO MON
MOROCCO MOR
NATIONALITY AND NATURALLLIZATION NATIO
NATIVES - AUSTRALIA NATIV
NAURU NAU
NAZISM NAZ
NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST NEA
NETHERLANDS NETH
NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES NETHE
NEW CALEDONIA NEW C
NEWFOUNDLAND NEWF
NEW GUINEA NEW G
NEW GUINEA - DUTCH NEW G D
NEW HEBRIDES NEW H
NEW ZEALAND NEW Z
NICARAGUA NIC
NIGERIA NIG
NORWAY NOR
ORGANIZATIONS ORG
PACIFIC PAC
PALESTINE PAL
PANAMA PAN
PAPUA PAP
PARAGUAY PAR
PASSPORTS PAS
PERSIA PER
PERSIAN GULF PERG
PERSONAL PERS
PERU PERU
PHILIPPINES PHI
POLAND POLA
POLITIIICAL WARFARE COMMITTEE POLI
POPULATION POP
PORTO RICO PORTO
PORTUGAL PORTU
PRESS PRE
PUBLICATIONS PUB
RED SEA RED
REFUGEES REF
RELATIONS REL
REPARATIONS REP
REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENTS REV
RHODESIA RHO
ROUMANIA ROU
SAADABAD SAAD
SAAR SAAR
SALVADOR SAL
SAMOA SAM
SARAWAK SAR
SAUDI ARABIA SAU
SHIPPING SHI
SINGAPORE NAVAL BASE SIN
SOLOMON ISLANDS SOL
SOUTH AFRICA SOU AF
SOUTH AMERICA SOU AM
SOUTH WEST AFRICA SOU W
SOVIET UNION SOV
SPAIN SPA
SUDAN SUD
SUEZ CANAL SUE
SWEDEN SWE
SWITZERLAND SWI
SYRIA-LEBANON SYR
TAHITI TAH
TANGIER TAN
TERRITORIAL WATERS TER
THAILAND THA
TIBET TIB
TIMOR (DUTCH) TIM D
TIMOR (PORTUGUESE) TIM P
TOGOLAND TOG
TONGA TON
TRADE TRAD
TRANSLATIONS TRAN
TREATIES TRE
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TRI
TUNIS TUN
TURKEY TUR
UKRAINE UKR
UNITED STATES UNI
URUGUAY URU
VATICAN VAT
VENEZUELA VEN
WAR WAR
WAR PEACE CONFERENCE WAR P
WARSHIPS WAR S
WEI HAI WEI WEI
WEST INDIES WES
WHALING AND SEALILNG WHA
WIRELESS WIR
YUGOSLAVIA YUG
ZANZIBAR ZAN
ZIONISM ZIO
All items in this series in the custody of Australian Archives as at October 1997 have been entered onto the item level database, ANGAM II.