BRITISH ADMIRALTY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1332, 9 January 1912, Page 5

BRITISH ADMIRALTY.

APPOINTMENT OF WAR STAFF-

SCHEME EXPLAINED. I OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM. By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright London, January 7. Tho Admiralty is forming a war staff. Rear-Admiral Troubrid;;o (private secretary to tho First Lord of the Admiralty) has been appointed Chief of Stall'; Sir Francis Hopwood, G.C.M.G., an additional Civil Lord; Captains George- Ballard and Thomas Jackson, Directors of Operations Division and Intelligence Division respectively. Roar-Admiral Beattey succeeds Dear-Admiral Troubridge, with tho new title of Xavnl Secretary to tho First Lord of the Admiralty. (Rec. January 8, 9.10 p.m.) London, January 8. Mr. Winston Churchill, in an official memorandum, explains the necessity for the First Lord of tho Admiralty possessing a war slaff like a goneral in the field. He proposes three divisions, namely, one dealing with intelligence, second with operations, and third with mobilisation, each having equal status under a captain of standing, the whole to bo controlled by the Chief of Staff, who will be responsible to the First. Sea LoTd. Tho Staff is to bo purely advisory, and will havo no administrative functions. The personnel will represent most grades and every specialist branch, by men fresh from the sea and returning to the eca fairly frequently. The Staff will be specially charged with the training of officers, while special'training at the War College will bo an essential feature of the scheme.

To enable the First Sea Lord to advise on grand issues, without being burdened under detail, an additional Civil Lord will bo appointed to take up the business and commercial transactions, enabling tho Third Sea Lord to attend solely to naval construction and equipment.

The cost of the war staff will bo met by the abolition of four Admiralty yachts, effecting an annual economy of JE34,8a0.

Admiral Bethel,has been appointed to command the East Indies Station.

Captain Alexander Duff, tho present Director of Mobilisation, joins the war staff in a similar capacity.

"THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION.-'

■ Referring to the recent changes in tho composition of tho Admiralty Board, "The Times" of 'November 2a" slated :— That there will be tmich speculation as to the changes' of policy which may follow upon the establishment of the new Board is only natural. As everyone is aware, Mr. Churchill has already made it clear that he hopes, like his predecessor, to be able to etVcct some reduction of the Estimates. What we are coiirei-ned to leara is the way in which the reduction can bo carried out without lessening the margin of safety. As to the shipbuilding programme also, if there are to be comparatively few battleships, there will be a demand for more cruisers and torpedo craft, while a further development in design would only bo in accordance with the practice of the progressiva Boards of Admiralty of the last few years. Tho columns of "The Times" bear testimony on any occasion of tho launch of a new ehip, te the enormous advances in gun power, in speed, and in other matters which have succeeded ouo another with each year's programme. It may be hoped, howover, as it is surely expected, that in regard to naval policy the most marlced departure of Sir. Churchill's new Board will be towards the reconstitution on larger, broader, and more permanent linos of a- Naval War Staff—a staff, from which tho naval members of the Board aud Hag officers and their staffs at sea may be expected to derive common benont. This, in the' opinion of many high authorities, is the most important question with which Mr. Churchill has to deal. In this journal we have not hesitated to urge for years past that, until it has been supplied, there can be no assurance of undiminished fighting efficiency in the fleet and instant readiness for tho final test. That on some of the most difficult problems of naval strategy differences of professional opinion exist is known to all. Tho first step to harmony must be looked for in the educational work of a War Staff with very wido advisory powers. It is quite true that much of the machinery of a staff is at present in existence. There is littlo or nothing to but very much indeed to dovelop and extend. Here, then, is the opportunity for a Board which possesses in a high degree the qualities of energy, unity, and progress, and whoso efforts the nation will confidently hope may be crowned with success.