officer—­Rear-Admiral A.L.  Duff, C.B.—­two captains, four commanders, three lieutenant-commanders, and two engineer officers, in addition to the necessary clerical staff.  The small staff of four officers already at the Admiralty engaged in anti-submarine experimental work, which had done much to develop this side of warfare, was absorbed.  The new Division worked directly under me, but in close touch with the then Chief of the War Staff, Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Oliver.

In the early spring of 1917 the illogical nature of the War Staff organization became apparent, in that it had no executive functions, and as the result of discussions between Sir Edward Carson and myself the decision was taken that the duties of the Naval Staff (the term decided upon in place of that of War Staff) should be made executive, and that the First Sea Lord should assume his correct title as Chief of the Naval Staff, as he had, in fact, already assumed the position.

At the same time the operational work of the Staff was grouped under two heads, the first mainly concerned with operations against the enemy’s surface vessels, and the second with the protection of trade and operations against the enemy’s under-water warfare, whether the means he employed were submarines or mines.

The officer, Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Oliver, K.C.B., charged with the supervision of the first-named work was styled Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (D.C.N.S.), and the officer connected with the second, Rear-Admiral A.L.  Duff, C.B., was given the title of Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (A.C.N.S.).

The duties of Director of the Anti-Submarine Division of the Staff, hitherto carried out by Admiral Duff, were at this time taken over by Captain W.W.  Fisher, C.B., who was brought down from the Grand Fleet for the purpose.  Captain Dreyer, who had been Admiral Duff’s original assistant, had in the meantime been appointed Director of Naval Ordnance, and had been succeeded by Captain H. Walwyn, D.S.O.

The Mine-Sweeping Division of the Staff was also formed, and the importance of the question of signal communications was recognized by forming a Signal Section of the Staff.

The adoption of the title of Chief of the Naval Staff by the First Sea Lord necessarily made the functions of the Staff executive instead of advisory.

The Staff organization at this period is shown graphically below.

C.N.S.
|
+—­  D.C.N.S.
|    .  |
|    .  +-- Operations Division.
|    .  |      |
|    .  |      +-- Home
|    .  |      +-- Foreign
|    .  +-- Mobilization Division.
|    .  +-- Signal Section.
|    .  +-- Intelligence Division.
|    .
+—­  A.C.N.S.
|
+—­ Trade Division.
+—­ Convoys Section.
+—­ Anti-Submarine Division.
+—­ Mine-Sweeping Division.

Stress was laid in a Staff memorandum issued by me on the fact that the various divisions were on no account to work in watertight compartments, but were to be in the closest touch with one another.  The dotted line connecting the D.C.N.S. and the A.C.N.S. in the graph was defined as indicating that there should be the fullest co-operation between the different portions of the Staff.