While commanding HMS Excellent, Fisher began building the informal network later known as the Fishpond. He cultivated talented officers such as John Jellicoe and Percy Scott, repeating the patronage from which his own career had benefited. As Director of Naval Ordnance from 1886 to 1890, he also pressed the Admiralty's case for control over naval weapons and munitions. The political fights created enemies, but they also established his reputation as a relentless institutional advocate whose usefulness could extend beyond the ordnance board.
Chapter · 37:38-39:06
The Fishpond and Admiralty control of ordnance
At HMS Excellent and as Director of Naval Ordnance, Fisher developed protégés while pursuing a more naval-led approach to weapons and munitions.