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 ADMINISTRATION [BRITISH Senior Naval Lords. First Lords. His position in regard to estimates and expenditure is very Rt. Hon. George J. Goschen, (1) Vice - Adm. Sir Sydney C. Dacres, K.C.B. March 1871. important, and the accountant-general is his officer, whie (2) Adm. Sir Alexander Milne, he has financial control over the director of contracts. G.C.B. The financial secretary also examines proposals for new Rt. Hon. George Ward Hunt, (1) Adm. Sir Alexander Milne, G.C.B. March 1874. (2) Adm. Sir Hastings R. YelA most important official of the Board is the permanent verton, G.C.B. secretary whose office has been described as the nerve(1) Adm. George G. Wellesley, Rt. Hon. William Henry Smith, centre ” of the Admiralty, since it is the channel throng C.B. August 1877. (2) Adm. Sir Astley Cooper which papers for the Lords of the Admiralty pass for the Key, K.C.B. inter-communication of departments and for the correSir Astley Cooper Key, spondence of the Board. The tradition of Admiralty The Earl of Northbrook, May Adm. K.C.B., n 1880. procedure largely rests with the permanent secretary, and Lord George Hamilton, July Vice-Adm. Arthur W. Acland Hood, C.B. it is most important that he should be chosen from one of 1885. the branches, and should have served in as many of them The Marquis of Ripon, K.G., Adm. Lord John Hay, K.C.B. February 1886. as possible, in order that he may possess a thorough George Hamilton, August (1) Adm. Sir Arthur W. Acland knowledge of the theory and practice of the Admiralty Lord Hood, K.C.B. 1886. system. In addition to the secretarial duties of the (2) Adm. Sir R. Yesey Hamilton, K.C.B. permanent secretary’s department, the permanent secre(3) Adm. Sir Anthony H. Hostary has charge of the military, naval, and legal branches, kins, K.C.B. each under a principal clerk, the civil branch, and t ic Earl Spencer, K.G., August (1) Adm. Sir Anthony H. Hosrecord office. The various branches deal with matters kins, K.C.B. 1892. (2) Adm. Sir Frederick W. concerning the commissioning of ships and the distribuRichards, K.C.B. tion of the fleet, and the manning and discipline of the Adm. Sir Frederick W. Hon. George J. Goschen, (1)Richards, navy, with other associated matters, being the channels Rt.July K.C.B. 1895. (2) Yice-Adm. Lord Walter for the operations of the Naval Lords. It is a high y Kerr, K.C.B. important function of the department of the permanent secretary to preserve the inter-related working of the The Earl of Selborne, November Adm. Lord Walter Kerr, K.C.B. 1900. various departments, and to keep unbroken the thread of administration when a new Board is constituted. III. Business and Responsibility. — The manner m The following is a list of the First Lords and first Naval Loids which the Admiralty Board conducts the great operations since 1832 :— under its charge has been indicated. It would be imposSenior Naval Lords. First Lords. sible here to describe it in detail, though something ^ conRear-Adm. Sir Thomas M. Sir James R. G. Graham, Bart., cerning the civil departments, which are the machinery Hardy. November 1830. (1) Rear-Adm. Sir Thomas M. of naval administration, will be found below. It will, Lord Auckland, June 1834. Hardy. however, indicate the character of Admiralty administra(2) Rear-Adm. the Hon. George tion if we explain to some extent the conditions which H. L. Dundas. (3) Rear - Adm. Sir Charles surround the preparation of the estimates and the Adam. shipbuilding programme, the more so because this matter Vice-Adm. Sir John P. Beresford, has been the battle-ground of critics and supporters of Earl de Grey, December 1834. K.C.B. the Admiralty. It has already been pointed out that the Rear-Adm. Sir Charles Adam. Lord Auckland, April 1835. Naval Lords, if they dissent from the estimates that are Rear-Adm. Sir Charles Adam. The Earl of Minto, G.C.B., presented, have no remedy but that of protest or resignaSeptember 1835. Sir George Cockburn, tion Into the controversies that have arisen as to the The Earl of Haddington, Sep- Adm. G.C.B. tember 1841. Sir George Coekburn, responsibility of the several Lords it is unnecessary to The Earl of Ellenborough, Janu- Adm. enter here. The Admiralty Board possesses, m fact, the G.C.B. ary 1846. Vice - Adm. Sir Charles character of a council, and its members can only be held The Earl of Auckland, July (1)Adam, K.C.B. responsible for their advice. It has even been contended 1846. (2) Rear-Adm. James W. D. that, in the circumstances, it should not be incumbent Dundas, C.B. Rear-Adm. James W. D. upon them to sign the navy estimates, and there have Sir Francis Thornhill Baring, (1)Dundas, C.B. been instances in which the estimates have been preBart., January 1849. (2) Rear-Adm. the Horn M. sented to Parliament without the signature of certain Fitzhardinge Berkeley, C.B. Naval Lords. It is in any case obvious, as has been ex# The Duke of Northumberland, Rear-Adm. Hyde Parker, C.B. plained above, that the ultimate responsibility must K.G., February 1852. Hyde Parker, always rest with the First Lord and the Cabinet, by whom Sir James R. G. Graham, Bart., (1)CVice-Adm. the policy of the country is shaped and directed. . In the January 1853. -B(2) Rear-Adm. the Hon. M. report of the Hartington Commission to inquire into the Fitzhardinge Berkeley, C.B. Rear-Adm. the Hon. M. civil and professional administration of the Naval and Sir Charles Wood, March 1855. (1)Fitzhardinge Military Departments, and the relation of these departBerkeley, C.B. (2) Rear-Adm. the Hon. Sir ments to each other and to the Treasury, the following Richard S. Dundas, K.C.B. recommendation occurs : “On the First Lord alone should Sir John Pakington, Bart., Vice-Adm. William Fanshawe rest the responsibility of deciding on the provision to be Martin. March 1858. The Duke of Somerset, June (1) Vice-Adm. the Hon. Sir made for the naval requirements of the empire, and the Richard S. Dundas, K.C.B^ existence of a council should be held in no degree to 1859. (2) Rear - Adm. the Hon. Sir diminish that responsibility.” Frederick W. Grey, K.C.B. • Two conditions primarily rule the determination as to Sir John S. Pakington, Bart., Vice-Adm. Sir Alexander Milne, the strength of the navy. They are, the foreign policy of K.C.B. G.C.B., July 1866. Rt. Hon. Henry Thomas Lowry Vice-Adm. Sir Alexander Milne, the Cabinet, and, on the ground of practical expediency, K.C.B. Corry, March 1867. the amount of money available. “The estimates and Rt. Hon. Hugh Culling Eardley Vice-Adm. Sir Sydney C. Dacres, strength of the navy,” said Rear-Admiral Hotham before K.C.B. Childers, December 1868. 68

ADMIRALTY