Instructions for the Director of Naval Intelligence (Royal Navy)

Instructions for the Director of Naval Intelligence at the Admiralty.

24 January, 1887

1. The functions of the Intelligence Department are to be purely advisory and in no sense administrative. The essence of its work is to be "preparation for war." The Senior Naval Lord will supervise the Intelligence Department, but the Director of Naval Intelligence will apply to the other Naval Lords on all matters which are connected with their duties in the distribution of business, will furnish them with any information which they may at any time require, and take care that they are put in possession of all intelligence received by the Department with which they should be acquainted.

2. The duties of the Intelligence Department are as follows :—

(a) To collect, sift, record, and lay before the Board, all information relating to maritime matters likely to be of use in war.

(b) To prepare and keep correct to date a complete plan for mobilising the Naval forces of the Empire with the utmost possible rapidity, and with the least strain on the Admiralty.

(c) When directed, to prepare plans of Naval campaign for the consideration of the Board.

(d) To bring to the notice of the Board all points affecting " preparation for war," but it is to be distinctly understood that the Intelligence Department is not to indicate to the Board any policy in connection with shipbuilding, armaments, &c, unless called upon to do so.

3. In the execution of these duties the main objects to be kept in view are:—

(a) To obtain a complete knowledge of the Naval resources of foreign nations, their preparedness for war, and their ability to maintain a Naval war.

(b) To record all information in a convenient form and that of most importance so as to be available at short notice.

(c) To keep Commanders-in-Chief and Commanding Officers supplied, as may be directed, with all such important information as shall be considered by the Board likely to be of use in war.

4. The following information is to be always immediately available:—

(a) Distribution and condition of foreign vessels of war in commission and in reserve.

(b) Distribution of fast foreign mercantile steamers.

(c) Distribution of fast British mercantile steamers.

(d) Personnel of foreign Navies in reserve.

(e) State of the coast defences of the principal European Powers.

(f) State of the defences of the British coaling stations.

(g) Number of British vessels of war ready for commission and that could be got ready in a given time.

(h) Number of officers and men available for manning (g).

5. The Staff of the Intelligence Department will be as follows:—

One Admiral or Captain, with the title of Director of Naval Intelligence.

Intelligence Division.

One Captain, R.N., with the title of Assistant-Director of Naval Intelligence.

Two Commanders or Lieutenants, R.N.

Three Marine Officers.

One Higher Division Clerk.

Three Lower Division Clerks.

One Writer.

Mobilisation Division.

One Captain, R.N., with the title of Assistant-Director of Naval Intelligence. Two Commanders or Lieutenants, R.N. One Assistant-Paymaster, R.N.

One Lower Division Clerk.

The foregoing is the general distribution of the Staff, but the Director of Naval Intelligence, with the approval of the Senior Naval Lord, may make any alteration which the exigencies of the time may render desirable.

6. The Director of Naval Intelligence will arrange the details of the work in each division, and the Captain in charge will be responsible to him for the work of his division.

7. The Clerical Staff of the Intelligence Department will be under the control and direction of the Director of Naval Intelligence, in all that relates to the work of the Department.

8. All points connected with mobilisation which are dealt with by members of the Board, are in the first instance to be referred to them for their consideration.

9. All other papers emanating from the Intelligence Department are to be marked to the Secretary and Senior Naval Lord.

10. The Director of Naval Intelligence may communicate departmentally with the Deputy Quartermaster-General, Intelligence Branch, War Office, as heretofore.

11. The Director of Naval Intelligence may communicate with all other departments of the Admiralty, through the Heads of the Departments, on matters relating to the work of the Intelligence Department; but all correspondence with the Fleet, Government Departments, or individuals, will be dealt with by the Secretary of the Admiralty.

12. During the first week in each month (and as much oftener as may be considered necessary) the Director of Naval Intelligence will meet the Naval members of the Board and the Permanent Secretary, and report to them generally the progress that has been made by the Intelligence Department since the last meeting, and the work he proposes to take in hand during the ensuing month. He will also present a schedule indicating the subjects treated of in the Department since the last meeting, to enable the members of the Board to be aware of the existence of such papers, and to obtain the details if required. He will also at these meetings draw the attention of the Board to all existing deficiencies in personnel and materiel, which may affect the prompt mobilisation of the Fleet.

13. The Director of Naval Intelligence will consider and submit from time to time suggestions for improving the mode of obtaining Naval intelligence in peace, and also for obtaining information of any enemy's Naval proceedings in war.

14. In the absence of the Director of Naval Intelligence, the Senior Assistant-Director of Naval Intelligence will act for him.

15 January, 1904

1. The functions of the Intelligence Department are to be purely advisory, and in no sense administrative. The essence of its work is to be "preparation for war." The Senior Naval Lord will supervise the Intelligence Department, but the Director of Naval Intelligence will apply to the other Naval Lords on all matters which are connected with their duties in the Distribution of Business, will furnish them with any information which they may at any time require, and take care that they are put in possession of all intelligence received by the Department with which they should be acquainted.

2. The duties of the Intelligence Department are as follows:—

(a) To collect, sift, record, and lay before the Board, all information relating to maritime matters likely to be of use in war.

(b) To prepare and keep correct to date, a complete plan for mobilising the Naval forces of the Empire with the utmost possible rapidity, and with the least strain on the Admiralty.

(c) When directed, to prepare plans of Naval campaign for the consideration of the Board.

(d) To bring to the notice of the Board all points affecting "preparation for war," but it is to be distinctly understood that the Intelligence Department is not to indicate to the Board any policy in connection with shipbuilding, armaments, &c, unless called upon to do so.

(e) To submit on the first day of the month a schedule of the more important papers which have passed through or have emanated from the Department.

This schedule, when seen by each Member of the Board, to be returned to the Director of Naval Intelligence.

3. In the execution of these duties the main objects to be kept in view are—

(a) To obtain a complete knowledge of the Naval resources of foreign nations, their preparedness for war, and their ability to maintain a Naval war.

(b) To record all information in a convenient form and that of most importance, so as to be available at short notice.

(c) To keep Commanders-in-Chief and Commanding Officers supplied, as may be directed, with all such important information as shall be considered by the Board likely to be of use in war.

4. The following information is to be always immediately available:—

(a) Distribution and condition of foreign vessels of war in commission and in reserve.

(b) Distribution of fast foreign mercantile steamers.

(c) Distribution of fast British mercantile steamers.

(d) Personnel of foreign Navies in reserve.

(e) State of the coast defences of the principal European Powers.

(f) State of the defences of the British coaling stations.

(g) Number of British vessels of war ready for commission and that could be got ready in a given time.

(h) Number of officers and men available for manning (g).

5. The Staff of the Intelligence Department will be as shown in the Navy List.

6. The Director of Naval Intelligence will arrange the details of the work in the Mobilisation, War, Foreign, and Trade Divisions of his Department, and the Captain in charge of each will be responsible to him for the work of his Division, and for the conduct of the Officers in the several sections.

7. The Clerical Staff of the Intelligence Department will be under the control and direction of the Director of Naval Intelligence, in all that relates to the work of the Department.

8. All points connected with mobilisation which are dealt with by members of the Board, are in the first instance to be referred to them for their consideration.

9. All other papers emanating from the Intelligence Department are to be marked to the Secretary and Senior Naval Lord.

10. The Director of Naval Intelligence may communicate departmentally with the Director General of Mobilisation and Military Intelligence, War Office, and Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office, as heretofore, and may afford information to the Ordnance Committee in matters connected with their functions.

11. The Director of Naval Intelligence may communicate with all other departments of the Admiralty, through the Heads of the Departments, on matters relating to the work of the Intelligence Department; but all correspondence with the Fleet, Government Departments, or individuals, will be dealt with by the Secretary of the Admiralty.

12. The Director of Naval Intelligence will meet the Naval Members of the Board and the Permanent Secretary from time to time, as may be considered necessary, for the discussion of various questions that may arise.

13. The Director of Naval Intelligence will consider and submit from time to time suggestions for improving the mode of obtaining Naval Intelligence in peace, and also for obtaining information of an enemy's Naval proceedings in war.

14. In the absence of the Director of Naval Intelligence, the Senior Assistant-Director of Naval Intelligence will act for him.

Bibliography

• Preliminary and Further Reports (With Appendices) of the Royal Commissioners Appointed to Enquire into the Civil and Professional Administration of the Naval and Military Departments and the Relations of those Departments to Each Other and to the Treasury. C.—5979. London: Her Majesty's Stationary Office. 1890.