Order in Council of 23 October, 1917

The Orders in Council of 23 October, 1917 affected the composition and salaries of the Board of Admiralty in the closing months of the First World War.

Board of Admiralty—Constitution and Business

WHEREAS the constitution and business of the Board of Admiralty were settled and defined by the Orders in Council of the 10th August 1904, the 17th January 1912, the 19th July 1912, the 10th January 1917, and the 19th May 1917:

And whereas we consider it desirable that the above Orders in Council shall be rescinded, and that certain changes shall be made in the constitution and business of the Board, and in the designation of its Members:

We beg leave humbly to propose to Your Majesty:—

1. That the Members of the Board shall be:—

The First Lord of the Admiralty,

The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff,

The Deputy First Sea Lord,

The Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel,

The Third Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Materiel,

The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Supplies and Transport,

The Fifth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Air Services,

The Deputy Chief of Naval Staff,

The Assistant Chief of Naval Staff,

The Civil Lord,

The Controller.

2. That there shall be two Secretaries called:—

The Parliamentary and Financial Secretary,

The Permanent Secretary.

3. That the First Lord shall be responsible to Your Majesty, and to Parliament, for all the business of the Admiralty, the business to be transacted as follows:—

(a) The First Sea Lord, the Deputy First Sea Lord, the Second Sea Lord, the Fourth Sea Lord, the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, and the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, to be responsible to the First Lord of the Admiralty for the administration of so much of the general business connected with Your Majesty's Navy, and with the movement and condition of Your Majesty's Fleet, and with the Personnel of that Fleet, as shall be assigned to them, or each of them, from time to time, by the First Lord: and the First Sea Lord, as Chief of Naval Staff, to be in addition responsible to the First Lord for the issue of orders to the Fleet affecting war operations and the movement of Ships, which orders may be issued in his own name in his capacity of Chief of the Naval Staff.

(b) The Third Sea Lord and the Controller to be responsible to the First Lord for the administration of so much of the business relating to the Materiel of Your Majesty's Navy as shall, from time to time, be assigned to each of them by the First Lord.

(c) The Fifth Sea Lord to be responsible to the First Lord for the administration of so much of the business relating to the Royal Naval Air Service as shall, from time to time, be assigned to him by the First Lord.

(d) The Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to be responsible to the First Lord for the Finance of the Department, and for so much of the other business of the Admiralty as shall, from time to time, be assigned to him by the First Lord.

(e) The Civil Lord and the Permanent Secretary to have such duties as shall, from time to time, be assigned to them by the First Lord.

We beg leave to recommend that Your Majesty may be graciously pleased, by Your Order in Council, to sanction the foregoing.

The Lords Commissioners of Your Majesty's Treasury have concurred in such portion of these proposals as requires their concurrence.

Bibliography

• The Orders in Council for the Regulation of the Naval Service. 11th February 1913 to 21 December 1917. Vol. XI. London: For His Majesty's Stationary Office. 1921.