ADMIRALTY, The. In Great Britain, the governmental department which manages all matters pertaining to the British navy and the royal marine. The admirality derives its character from the fact that it represents the lord high admiral, whose administrative func tions have been transferred to and vested in a board of commissioners. Among the duties of these commissioners are the maintenance and expansion of the fleet according to govern mental policy, keeping its roster filled with trained officers and men, and preserving it in the highest possible degree of preparedness and efficiency as regards personnel and material. The board consists of five commissioners, who decide collectively all important matters and who, in theory, are jointly responsible; they are the first lord, the first and second naval lords, the additional naval. lord and controller, the junior naval lord and the civil lord who execute the office of lord high admiral, and with them are the parliamentary and financial secretary and the permanent secretary. The first lord, who is always a cabinet minister and who is responsible to the Crown and to Parlia ment for all admiralty business, besides having general direction and supervision, manages the political affairs of the navy, as its representative in Parliament, controls the naval estimates and finances and has charge of appointments, pro motions and removals. The first naval lord is responsible for the commissioning of ships, the personnel of the fleet, its fighting efficiency and employment, its discipline and the appoint ment of inferior officers; he directs the opera tions of the admiral superintendent of naval reserves in regard to ships, the hydrographer, the director of naval ordinance and the naval intelligence department; and makes the neces sary preparations to protect trade and the fish eries. The second naval lord has charge of the
personnel of the fleet, the manning of the navy, and mobilization, supervises the training estab lishments and colleges, attends to naval edu cation, training and the affairs of the royal marine force, appoints navigating officers and inferior officers and supervises the management of the reserve. The additional naval lord and controller has charge of everything pertaining to the material of the fleet, design, construction, machinery, equipment, dockyards and building establishments, gunnery and armament, main tenance repairs and refits and naval stores. The junior naval lord has control over the transport, medical and victualling services, the regulation of hospitals, the coaling arrange ments of the fleet, of uniforms, prize money, naval savings banks, pensions and the appoint ment of chaplains, naval instructors, medical officers and officers of the accountant branch. Among the duties of the civil lord are the supervision of admiralty buildings and works, construction and labor, contracts and purchases of building stores and land, and the direction of the civil staff of the naval establishments; Greenwich Hospital is under his authority and the charitable funds, compassionate allowances, etc., are in his charge. The parliamentary and finan cial secretary has charge of the finances of the department, the -navy estimates and general expenditures. The permanent secretary super vises and directs the general office work of the admiralty, of the military, naval and legal branches, the civil branch and the record office. When the prime minister resigns, all the lords of the admiralty do likewise and those who have seats in Parliament are succeeded by others.