Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 43:08-43:14

Which Admiralty office did Selborne hold?

Selborne was the political First Lord of the Admiralty, not the professional First Sea Lord.

AdmiraltyFirst Lord Of The AdmiraltyJohn FisherRoyal Navy ReformWalter KerrWilliam Palmer Selborne
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Question

Was Lord Selborne the First Sea Lord?

Short answer

No. He was First Lord of the Admiralty; Walter Kerr was First Sea Lord and John Fisher was Second Sea Lord when the scheme was formed.

Notes

A viewer checks which Admiralty office Selborne held. Selborne was First Lord of the Admiralty, not First Sea Lord. The earlier quotation identifies Walter Kerr as First Sea Lord and John Fisher as Second Sea Lord, with Fisher responsible for administering the scheme. Keeping those offices separate clarifies how political leadership and two senior naval members of the Board shared the reform.