First Sea Lord

The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff was (and remains today) the professional head of the Royal Navy. Before 1904 the holder of the position was known as First Naval Lord, and from 1904 to 1917 was known simply as First Sea Lord. In 1917 the First Sea Lord was also denominated Chief of Naval Staff. The First Sea Lord was the senior naval officer on the Board of Admiralty, and served as chief naval adviser to the First Lord of the Admiralty, the politician responsible to Crown and Parliament for the Navy.

History

Order in Council of 14 January, 1869

Under the terms of the Order in Council of 14 January, 1869, the First Naval Lord was granted a salary of £1,000 a year, with allowances and a house, or £1,200 a year, without a house. His duties were defined thus:

The First Naval Lord to be responsible to the First Lord of the Admiralty for the administration of so much of the business as relates to the "Personnel" of the Navy, and for the movement and condition of your Majesty's Fleet.

The First Naval Lord and the other members of the Board became "assistants to the First Lord" rather than colleagues, which according to Dr. C. I. Hamilton "annoyed many naval officers."

Order in Council of 19 March, 1872

In 1872 it was decided to reinstitute the office of Second Naval Lord, and to remove the Controller from the Board. In accordance with the provisions of the Order in Council of 19 March, 1872, the First Naval Lord's responsibilities were less clearly defined:

The First Naval Lord, the Second Naval Lord, and the Junior Naval Lord to be responsible to the First Lord of the Admiralty for the Administration of so much of the business relating to the "Personnel" of the Navy, and to the movement and condition of your Majesty's Fleet, as shall be assigned to them, from time to time, by the First Lord.

Order in Council of 10 August, 1904

By Order in Council of 10 August, 1904, the title of the First Naval Lord was formally changed to First Sea Lord.

Great War

Order in Council of 19 May, 1917

By an Order in Council of 19 May, 1917, stemming from a Board memorial of 14 May, the First Sea Lord was formally given the extra title of "Chief of the Naval Staff" and recognised as such. He was to be assisted by two additional Naval Members of the Board of Admiralty in his capacity as Chief of Naval Staff, a Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff.

The full title was later formalised in a further Order in Council as First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff.

Duties

1805.
Superintends when First Lord absent.
Military correspondence, including Port Admirals.
With approval of First Lord: Ship Movements. Orders to Captains and Admirals.
Ships' equipment.
Distribution of Seamen and Marines.
Checks all promotions.

1850.
State of Foreign Navies.
Composition and disposition of the Fleet.
Sailing orders.
General Regulations.
Fisheries.
Steam Reserve.
Advance Squadron.
Appointments.

1861.
Distribution of the Fleet.
Manning of the Fleet.
Ships in commission.
Ships fitting out and paying off.
Ships' armaments and complements.
Ships' discipline.
Ships, muster and inspection of.
Ships, leave of absence from.
Advanced ships and steam ordinaries.
Protection of trade and fisheries.
Dockyards, so far as relates to Surveyor's Department.
Appointment of Commanders in ships of the line, and engineers.
Coast Guard and Coast Volunteers, except pay and buildings.
Pensioners, when called out.
Naval Rendezvous.
Seamen Riggers.

7 July, 1885.
1—Ships in Commission.
2—Distribution of the Fleet.
3—Marines and Marine Artillery.
4—Appointments of Commanders under Captains.
5—Complements of Ships.
6—Discipline.
7—Courts Martial and Courts of Inquiry.
8—Punishment Returns.
9—Protection to Trade and Fisheries.
10—Hydrographical Department and Pilotage.
11—Signals.
12—Collisions.
13—Slave Trade.
14—Gunnery—as relates to personnel and Ships in Commission.
15—Prize Questions.
16—Deserters; Rewards for apprehension of; Removals of R.
17—Leave to Officers and Men in Ships in Commission.
18—Foreign Intelligence Committee; Superintendence of.
19—Naval Attachés; movements of and orders to.

December, 1888.
1—Ships in Commission.
2—Distribution and Organisation of the Fleet.
3—Maritime Defence and Strategical Questions—to advise.
4—Royal Marines and Royal Marine Artillery.
5—Appointments of Commanders under Captains.
6—General Supervision of Intelligence Department and of Mobilisation of Fleet.
7—Complements of Ships.
8—Discipline.
9—Courts Martial and Courts of Inquiry.
10—Punishment Returns.
11—Protection to Trade and Fisheries.
12—Hydrographical Department and Pilotage.
13—Signals.
14—Collisions.
15—Slave Trade.
16—Gunnery and Torpedoes—as relates to personnel and Ships in Commission.
17—Prize Questions.
18—Deserters; Rewards for apprehension of; Removals of R.
19—Leave to Officers and Men in Ships in Commission.
20—Naval Attachés; movements of and orders to.
21—Uniform Regulations.

4 July, 1895.
1.—Maritime Defence, Strategical, and all large Questions of Naval Policy—to advise.
2.—Ships in Commission.
3.—Distribution and Organisation of the Fleet.
4.—Appointments of Commanders under Captains.
5.—General Supervision of Intelligence Department (including Naval Attachés) and of Mobilisation of Fleet.
6.—Complements of Ships.
7.—Discipline.
8.—Courts Martial and Courts of Inquiry.
9.—Hydrographical Department.
10.—Signals.
11.—Collisions (see also 17 under Junior Naval Lord).
12.—Slave Trade.
13.—Gunnery and Torpedoes—as relates to personnel and Ships in Commission.
14.—Prize Questions.
15.—Leave to Officers and Men in Ships in Commission.

1 January, 1904.
1—Maritime Defence, Strategical, and all large questions of Naval Policy—to advise.
2—Ships in Commission and in Fleet Reserve.
3—Distribution and Organisation of the Fleet.
4—Appointments of Commanders under Captains.
5—General Supervision of Intelligence Department (including Naval Attachés) and of Mobilisation of the Fleet.
6—Discipline—General and Special Questions.
7—Courts Martial and Courts of Inquiry.
8—Hydrographical Department.
9—Signals.
10—Collisions.
11—Slave Trade.
12—Naval Ordnance Department (except as provided under Controller).
13—Prize Questions.
14—Leave to Officers and Men in Seagoing Ships.

20 October, 1904.
1—Preparation for War: All large Questions of Naval Policy and Maritime Warfare—to advise.
2—The Fighting and Sea-going Efficiency of the Fleet, its Organisation and Mobilisation; the Distribution and Movements of all Ships in Commission or in Fleet Reserve.
3—The Control of the Intelligence, Hydrographical and Naval Ordnance Departments.

17 May, 1910.
1—Preparation for War: All large Questions of Naval Policy and Maritime Warfare—to advise.
2—The Fighting and Sea-going Efficiency of the Fleet, its Organisation and Mobilisation, including Complements of Ships as affecting total numbers; the Distribution and Movements of all Ships in Commission and in Reserve.
3—The Control of the Intelligence, Mobilisation, Hydrographic and Naval Ordnance Departments.

August, 1912.
1—Preparation for War: All large Questions of Naval Policy and Maritime Warfare—to advise.
2—Fighting and Sea-going Efficiency of the Fleet, its Organisation and Mobilisation, including Complements of Ships as affecting total numbers; system of gunnery and torpedo exercises of the Fleet, and tactical employment of air-craft, and all military questions connected with the foregoing; Distribution and Movements of all Ships in Commission and in Reserve.
3—Superintendence of the War Staff and the Hydrographic Department.

27 June, 1917.
With Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff.
Operations of War: All large Questions of Naval Policy and Maritime Warfare.
Fighting and Sea-going Efficiency of the Fleet and its Organisation; Distribution and Movements of all Ships in Commission and in Reserve.
Superintendence of the Naval Staff and the Hydrographic Department.
Naval Communications.

First Naval Lords, 1889–1904

Dates of appointment given:

• Vice-Admiral Sir Richard S. Dundas, 28 June, 1859.
• Admiral Sir Frederick W. Grey, 15 June, 1861.
• Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne, 13 July, 1866.
• Vice-Admiral Sir Sidney C. Dacres, 18 December, 1868.
• Admiral Sir Alexander Milne, 27 November, 1872.
• Admiral Sir Hastings R. Yelverton, 7 September, 1876.
• Admiral George G. Wellesley, 6 November, 1877.
• Admiral Sir Astley Cooper Key, 15 August, 1879.
• Admiral Sir Arthur W. A. Hood, 2 July, 1885.
• Admiral Lord John Hay, 16 February, 1886.
• Admiral Sir Arthur W. A. Hood, 6 August, 1886.
• Admiral Sir R. Vesey Hamilton, 26 October, 1889.
• Admiral Sir Anthony H. Hoskins, 28 September, 1891.
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick W. Richards, 1 November, 1893.
• Admiral of the Fleet Lord Walter Kerr, 14 August, 1899.

First Sea Lords, 1904–1943

• Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable The Lord Fisher, 20 October, 1904. previously "First Naval Lord"
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur K. Wilson, 25 January, 1910.
• Admiral Sir Francis C. B. Bridgeman, 5 December, 1911.
• Admiral His Serene Highness Prince Louis of Battenberg, 9 December, 1912.
• Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable The Lord Fisher, 30 October, 1914.
• Admiral Sir Henry B. Jackson, 27 May, 1915.
• Admiral Sir John R. Jellicoe, 4 December, 1916.
• Admiral Sir Rosslyn E. Wemyss, 10 January, 1918.
• Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable The Earl Beatty, 1 November, 1919.
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles E. Madden, Bart., 30 July, 1927.
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick L. Field, 30 July, 1930.
• Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable The Lord Chatfield, 21 January, 1933.
• Admiral Sir Roger R. C. Backhouse, 7 September, 1938.
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir A. Dudley P. R. Pound, 12 June, 1939.

Naval Assistants to the First Sea Lord

Dates of appointment given:

• Captain Reginald H. S. Bacon, 21 October, 1904.
• Captain Charles E. Madden, 20 December, 1905.
• Captain A. Gordon H. W. Moore, 12 August, 1907.
• Captain Henry F. Oliver, 1 December, 1908.
• Captain Charles Bartolomé, 15 December, 1911.
• Captain Percy T. H. Beamish, 1 August, 1914.
• Acting Captain Thomas E. Crease, 30 October, 1914.
• Captain Allan F. Everett, 15 June, 1916.
• Captain Edward M. Phillpotts, 16 December, 1916.

Additional Naval Assistants to the First Sea Lord

• Captain A. Dudley P. R. Pound, 20 March, 1915. end=24 October, 1915.
• Commander Ralph F. Seymour, 3 November, 1919. end=22 March, 1920.

Bibliography

• Report from the Select Committee on Official Salaries: Together with the Proceedings of the Committee, Minutes of Evidence, Appendix and Index. H.C. 611, 1850.
• Black, Nicholas (2009). The British Naval Staff in the First World War. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843834427.
• Hamilton, C. I. (2011). The Making of the Modern Admiralty: British Naval Policy-Making, 1805-1927. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521765183. (on Amazon.co.uk).
• Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division (1929). The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. Its Work and Development. B.R. 1845 (late C.B. 3013). Copy No. 8 at The National Archives. ADM 234/434.