THE BRITISH NAVY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 183, 9 January 1912, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY.

FORMING A WAR STAFF. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright London, January 7. The Admiralty is forming a War Staff. Commodore Troubridge has been appointed Chief of Staff, Sir Francis Hopwood additional Civil Lord, and Captains George Gallard and Thomas Jackson Directors of the Operations Division and Intelligence Division respectively. Captain David Beatty succeeds Commodore Troubridge as Commander of the Chatham Barracks, with the new title of Naval Secretary to the First Lord. A BUSINESS LIKE SCHEME. OFFICIAL MEMORANDUM. Received 8, 10 pjn. London, January 8. Mr. Churchill, in an official memorandum, explains the necessity for the First Lord of the Admiralty possessing a war staff like a general in the field. He proposes the formation of three divisions, I namely, one dealing with intelligence, the second wjth operations, and the third with mobilisation, each with equal status '* under a captain of standing, the whole r being controlled by a chief of staff responsible to the First Sea Lord. The staff is to be purely advisory «a<l have no administrative functions, and the personnel to represent most grades and every specialist branch, by men fresh from the sea and returning to sea fairly frequently. The staff is to be specially charged with training officers, while special training at a war college will be an essential feature of the scheme. To enable the First Se.-i Lord to advise , on grand issues without being burdened with detail, an additional civil lord will . be appointed to take up the business of commercial transactions, enabling the Third Sea Lord to attend solely to naval construction and equipment The cost of the war staff will be met by the abolition of four Admiralty yachts, effecting an annual economy of £34,860. ». Admiral Bethel has been appointed to |L the command of the East Indies station, and Captain Alexander Duff, at present Director .of Mobilisation, joins the war staff is a similar capacity. Bear Admiral Beatty succeeds Rear) Admiral Troubridge as Chief of Staff in I the new war,staff, with the new title of \ Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the '. Admiralty. t