Order in Council of 10 March, 1882

The Order in Council of 10 March, 1882, was a piece of British legislation which restored the Controller of the Navy to the Board of Admiralty and abolished the position of Naval Secretary.

Order in Council

WHEREAS by your Majesty's Order in Council of the 19th day of March 1872, certain changes were effected in the constitution of the Board of Admiralty, among which changes it was provided that the office of Comptroller of your Majesty's Navy was to be held for a fixed period by an officer not a member of the Board of Admiralty; and whereas it was also provided that there should be a Naval Secretary as well as a Permanent Secretary to the Board of Admiralty; and whereas it has become desirable that the officer filling the post of Comptroller of your Majesty's Navy should, during such period as may from time to time be sanctioned by your Majesty's Letters Patent, notwithstanding the said Order in Council, be appointed to be an additional Naval Lord of the Admiralty, and that during such time an additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty may be appointed who shall possess special mechanical and engineering knowledge as well as administrative experience to assist the Comptroller in the administration of the materiel of your Majesty's Navy; and whereas it is not necessary in our opinion that there should be more than one Secretary to the Board of Admiralty in addition to the Parliamentary Secretary, we most humbly beg leave to propose to your Majesty:

1. That the officer filling the post of Comptroller of your Majesty's Navy may, notwithstanding the said Order in Council, be appointed an additional Naval Lord of the Admiralty.

2. That during the time that the officer holding the post of Comptroller of your Majesty's Navy is appointed to be an additional Naval Lord of the Admiralty, an additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty may be appointed. Such additional Civil Lord shall possess special mechanical and engineering knowledge, as well as experience in the superintendence of large private establishments; he shall assist the Comptroller in the business relating to the matériel of your Majesty's Navy, and perform so much of the said business as shall from time to time be assigned to him by the First Lord of the Admiralty.

3. That neither the appointment of additional Naval Lord of the Admiralty nor that of additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty shall be held by a member of either House of Parliament.

4. That there shall, upon a vacancy occurring in the office of Naval Secretary, be, besides the Parliamentary Secretary, only one other Secretary to the Board of Admiralty, who shall be called the Permanent Secretary.

5. We humbly propose that the additional Civil Lord shall have a salary of 2,000l a year, and the Permanent Secretary a salary of 1,800l a year and a house, or an allowance of 200l a year in lieu of a house. In the event of the office of Permanent Secretary being held by a naval officer, such officer shall not be allowed half or retired pay or other naval allowances.

6. We beg leave most humbly to acquaint your Majesty that the Lords Commissioners of your Majesty's Treasury have signified their concurrence in the financial part of these arrangements.