The Third Sea Lord could be junior to the First Sea Lord in both rank and office while retaining considerable freedom over procurement. The Controller presented options to the Admiralty Board, which selected among them. The Controller then decided how to implement the chosen option, with broad latitude rooted in the former Navy Board's powers. Control over the choices presented and their implementation limited how directly the First Sea Lord could steer procurement.
Notable Point · 29:38-31:00
How the Third Sea Lord shaped procurement decisions
The board selected a procurement option, but the Third Sea Lord controlled much of its preparation and implementation.