NAVAL WAR STAFF.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1378, 2 March 1912, Page 9

NAVAL WAR STAFF.

"A COMPREHENSIVE BRAIN." MB. CHURCHILL'S REFORMS. Two naval reforms of 'far-reaching importance—tho immediate formation of a War Staff at the Admiralty to act ns tho brain of the Navy and tho appointment of an additional Civil Ijonl of tho Admiralty to relieve tho Third Sea Lord of his onerous administrative duties—are announced in a Memorandum by Mr. Winston Churchill, t)io First Lord, issued by tho Admiralty on January 7. , In connection with tnese changes (which were , briefly outlined by cable in. Tub Dominion) tho King lias approved of the following appointments:— Tho Right Hon. Sir Francis J. S. Hopwood, K.C.M.G., K.C.8., to bo an additional Civil Lord on tho Board of Admiralty. Rear-Admiral the Hon. Sir Alexander E. Bethell, K.C.M.G., to be Commander. in-Chief, East Indies, in the place of IlcarAdmiral Sir Edmond J. \V. Slade, K.C.1.E., K.C.V.O. Rear-Admiral Ernest C. T. Troubrulgo, CD., C.M.G., M.V.0., to bo Chief of the War Staff-to date January 0. A change has been made in tho titleof Private Secretary to the First Lord of tho Admiralty, who will in future, bo known ns Naval Secretary to tho First Lord of tho Admiralty; am! the First Lord has selected Rear-Admiral David Beatty, C.8.; M.V.0., D.5.0., for this apnoiiituient—to date January 8. The following appointments have also been made—to date January 8. 1012:— • Captain George A. Dallord, R.N., to bo Director of Die Operations Division of the War Staff, and Captain Thomas Jackson. C.8., M.V.0., H.N., to be Director of tho IntelligenM Division of the War Staff.

What the Staff Will Do. In a preface to the Memorandum on tho new "Admiralty War Staff," given below, tho Admiralty shows that it need not be on the same scale as (ho general staff of an Army. Naval war is at ouco mora simple and intense. than war on laud. "The main part of the British Fleet m sufficient strength to seek a general battle is always ready to proceed to sea without any mobilisation o£ reserves so soon as' steam is raised." Tho art of handling o great fleet on important occasions with deft and tare judgment is the supreme gift of (ho admiral, and practical seamanship, must never ho displaced from its position as tho first qualification of every sailor. The formation of a War Staff docs not mean the setting up of new standards of professional merit; it is to be the means of preparing and training those officers who arrive or are likely to arrive, by the excellence ot their son. service, at stations of high responsibility for dealing with the more, extended problems which await them there. It is to bo tho means of silting, developing, and applying tho results of history and experience. It is to bo a brain, far'more comprehensive than that of any single man, and tireless and unceasing in its application. It is to, bo an instrument capable of formulating any decision which has been taken or may bo taken by tlio Executive All the elements of a War Staff liars been . developed in tho Admiralty sinco t!iS!i. 'J'ho tinm has now como to combine these elements into an harmonious and effective organisation. The AVar Staff will be under tho general authority of the Hoard of Admiralty, and will not interpose any barrier between tho Board and tlio Navy. The new War Staff will have three main Departments, each under a captain as director: , . . Intelligence! Division, dealing with war information, and acquiring tho information on which action may bo taken. Operations Division, dealing with war plans. Mobilisation Division, dealing with war arrangements, and enabling the final decision of superior authority to be put into effect.

Available Night and Day, The three divisions will bo -combined under a Chief of tire Staff, who will 1m a (lag-officer, primarily; ,responstblo.to ,>tha'. ■ First Sea Lord, under whom he will work as his principal assistant and agent. When desired he will accompany the First Lord and the First Sea Lard to the,Coin-' mittee of Imperial' Defence.: To prevent the evils which have always arisen from tlio "narrow neck of the bottle system," lie will not bo the sole channel of communication between the First Sea Lord and the Staff; the First Lord and First Sea Lord will consult whenover convenient the directors cf tho various divisions or other staff officers. There are to be no "water-tight compartments" in tho staff, and to secure constant,' free, and informal iutcrcourM between tho divisions frequent meeting* of the Chief of the Staff and directors of tho divisions are to be held. Each of the directors will be ready to act for tho Chief of tho Staff in Ms absence. The Memorandum says: — "In times of profound peaco action has often to bo taken immediately on the receipt of some telegraphic report or a request of tho other Deimrhneats of State; one of the three directors will, therefore, always remain within prompt call by messenger night and'day.' The functions of. the War Staff will bo advisory and not administrative. Its responsibilities will end with tho tendering of advice and with tho accuracy of ! the facts on which Hint advice is baaed. The First Sea Lord will decide whether the advice is to be accented or rejected, "It is necessary that there should bo,a closo and whole-hearted co-operation b« twecli the War htaff at the Admiralty and the General Staff of the Army." The personnel will consist of naval officers representing most grades and overy specialist branch, fresh from the sea and returning to the sea fairly frequently. In future staff officers will undergo a special course of training at tho War College, and will be selected from volunteers among lieutenants of suitablo seniority as well as officers of other, brunches. In tho first instance, officers will be ap- • pointod who have not received tho new Staff training. Staff officers will receivo special allowances, and their selection and • appointment will bo promulgated at an early date, and their actual work will commence .very shortly after _ A minute by Mr. Churchill is added, giving the reasons for the appointment of nn additional Civil Lord of the Adllo will relieve tho Controller or Third Sea Lord of a vast mass of administra- . tivo business connected with the dock- " yards, with the fmauco of an office spending in tho present year upwards of .£1:0,000,000, and with the intricate and : far-reaching commercial transactions involved. Ho will be "tho Admiralty . and business manager." The Third Sea Lord, who 6oes that tho . right types of ship are built to carry out tho war policy of tho Admiralty, will be - given leisure to reflect upon tho great and novel issues constantly presented, and to visit the fleets himself and ascertain the . practical working of the latest designs. Tho new Civil Lord will not sit in Parliament and will bo non-political. To meet tho cost of the new War Staff and of the additional Civil Lord, a nolo by tho Board of Admiralty stales that economies to tho extent of ,€,11,850 are to be effected, by suppressing tho following vnchts maintained for Commanders-in-Chief iAnnual Cost .C Undine, tho Noro , " 4,(100 Fire Queen, Portsmouth ... (l,fl!)0 Vivid, Dovonport G. 840 Surprise, Homo Fleet 17,800 In tlio first three cases an additional allowance of .£SOO a year will be made to each of tho Commanders-in-Chief- concerned. Sir Francis Ilopwood, ' the, . new. Civil Lord, aged fifty-one, has a wido and varied experience of work in tho Civil Service, distinguishing himself in every field of administration. Ho was a made a PrivyCouncillor on the New Year honours. Ho served on the Koyal Commissions dealing with Loudon Traffic, Shipping Kings, and Canals. Ho acted as secretary to tho Chairman of the Select Comtniltco which investigated the Jameson raid; he was on the staff of tho King, then Prince of Wales, during his visit to Canada in 1008. Ho was appointed Vice-Chairmaii of tho Development Commission in 1010. Rear-Admiral Troubridge, the new chief of tho War Staff, aged' fortv-nine, is a descendant of the famous admiral of (ho same name, Nelson's most intimate friend. Ho was with tho .Tananoso Fleet m the earlier operations of tlio war with Russia. Ho was summoned Home to advise the Admiralty on ihe .ic-scn* of tho fighting off Port Arthur, and in .January, bocamo ■ private secretary to the First Lord,