BRITAIN'S NAVY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10521, 9 January 1912, Page 5

BRITAIN'S NAVY

CABLE NEWS

(United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

WINSTON CHURCHILL'S SCHEME THREE SEPARATE DIVISIONS. (ißeoeivcd Last Night, 9.10 o'clock.) LONDON, January 8. The Right Hon. Winston Chur ;h----ill, Minister for Wa<r, ia an official memorandum, explains the necessitv of the 1 (1 first Lord of the Admiralty possessing a war staff like a General in the field. He proposes* three divisions, namely, one for dealing with intelligence, the second for operation , and the third l for mobilisation. .Eac.h wouiDd be on an equal status urder a captain of standing, and the whole would .be controlled, by th'j Chief of t-he Staff, who would be responsible to the Frst Sea Lord. I>e kt-afF would be purely advisory, aiid would have no administrative functions', The jpersoimel would be :«r----resented in most grades and in every specialist branch Dy men fresh from the sea, and returning fairly frequently. The staff would be specially chnrsied with the training of < flicers, while a special training at the War Cbllege would be the essentia' feature of the scheme. lllis wouild enable the Firsiu §ea Lord to advise on grand issues without bteing buidened with detail. An additional Cn ; i ! Lord would be appointed to take up the business and commercial transactions, enabling the Third Sea Lord to attend solely rto naval construction and equipment. The cost of the Wsr Staff would bo met by the abolition of four Admir aJtty yachts, effectmg an annual economy of £34,850. •Admiral Bethel has been appointed to command the East Indies> station, and Captain Alexander Duff, at present Dia-eotor of Mobilisation, will join the War Staff in"a similar capacity.