Could a stronger naval staff have fixed British shells before the First World War?

Would a stronger Royal Navy staff system have identified faulty shells and ammunition handling sooner?

Probably. Giving Jellicoe sustained political support could have secured earlier investigations into shell, fuze, and armor quality, producing better matériel before the First World War.

In the proposed staff system, the Third Sea Lord would gain direct ministerial help in Parliament, while the Fourth Sea Lord retained responsibility for logistics. A minister able to campaign for Jellicoe could have stopped opponents from persuading Parliament that a prewar investigation was unnecessary. That inquiry would cover shell fuzes, shell quality, and armour rather than treating ammunition as an isolated technical problem. Earlier action could therefore have improved both British shells and Queen Elizabeth-class armour before the First World War.