The Third Sea Lord stood between the Director of Naval Construction and the rest of the naval service. Stanley Goodall could produce excellent technical work, but an experienced admiral still had to explain what the fleet needed and what each design choice meant operationally. This two-way translation made the post more than a construction administrator. A strong Third Sea Lord could limit the damage caused by a weak First Sea Lord, while the reverse combination could leave the service asking for ships that were not available. Leadership quality in this office therefore appears directly in fleet capability years later.
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Translating between the Third Sea Lord and the DNC
The Third Sea Lord had to translate Stanley Goodall's technical designs into service choices and turn operational needs back into construction requirements.