The Army's prewar advantage lay partly in staff work: it could prepare plans, brief senior officers, and build persuasive cases for Parliament. Giving the Navy comparable machinery would strengthen its position in funding and strategy debates, potentially worsening competition with the British Army. That advantage cuts both ways because naval officers should not dictate land battles and army officers should not dictate sea battles. Effective defence planning requires staff organizations strong enough to advise their own services but connected enough to understand the other's constraints.
Notable Point · 1:51:28-1:52:17
Staff power had to remain balanced across the services
A stronger Admiralty staff could improve planning yet also skew political arguments unless the Navy and Army understood each other's operating problems.