96-539: The Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (formerly Second Sea Lord ) is deputy to the First Sea Lord and the second highest-ranking officer currently to serve in the Royal Navy and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments. Originally titled Second Naval Lord in 1830, the post was restyled Second Sea Lord in 1904. They are based at Navy Command, Headquarters . In 1805, for
192-548: A British Army officer in the 78th Highlanders , who had been an aide-de-camp to the former governor of Ceylon, Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton , and was serving as a staff officer at Kandy . Sophia's father Alfred Lambe was a wine merchant and Purveyor of Mineral Water to the King. She was brought up New Bond Street in Mayfair, London. Fisher commented, "My mother was a most magnificent and handsome, extremely young woman....My father
288-483: A Crimean War Victoria Cross holder. Donegal was a Conqueror -class ship of the line , with auxiliary screw propulsion. She plied between Portsmouth and Hong Kong, taking out relief crews and bringing home the crews they replaced. During this time he completed his torpedoes treatise. In May 1870, Fisher transferred, again as second in command, to HMS Ocean , flagship of the China Station. It
384-688: A collective responsibility for providing strategic direction to the department, managing performance and ensuring that defence delivers the required outputs. Lords Admiral were appointed from the 15th century; they were later styled Lords High Admiral until the 18th century, and Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty from the 17th century, as the governors of the English and later British Royal Navy . From 1683 to 1684, there were seven paid Commissioners, and one unpaid supernumerary Commissioner. The number varied between five and seven Commissioners through
480-405: A following of officers concerned with the poor offensive capabilities of the fleet, including John Jellicoe and Percy Scott . For the next 15 months he had no naval command and still suffered the effects of his illness. He took to visiting Marienbad , which was famous amongst notable society for its restoring climate, and went there regularly in later years. During June–July 1885, Fisher served
576-585: A gold cup for the ship which performed best at gunnery, and insisted upon shooting at greater range and from battle formations. He found that he too was learning some of the complications and difficulties of controlling a large fleet in complex situations, and immensely enjoyed it. Notes from his lectures indicate that, at the start of his time in the Mediterranean, useful working ranges for heavy guns without telescopic sights were considered to be only 2000 yards, or 3000–4000 yards with such sights, whereas by
672-558: A gunnery instructor, where he remained until 1869. Towards the end of his posting he became interested in torpedoes , which were invented in the 1860s, and championed their cause as a relatively simple weapon capable of sinking a battleship. His expertise with torpedoes led to his being invited to Germany in June 1869 for the founding ceremony of a new naval base at Wilhelmshaven , where he met King William I of Prussia (soon to become German emperor), Bismarck and Moltke . Perhaps inspired by
768-411: A hero. Shore duty had the unfortunate effect that Fisher became seriously ill with dysentery and malaria. He refused to take sick leave, but eventually was ordered home by Lord Northbrook, who commented, 'the Admiralty could build another Inflexible , but not another Fisher'. During this time he became a close friend of the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra . He was appointed a Companion of
864-567: A joke, Fisher arranged for anything that could go wrong with the lamps to do so, sending Colomb away disheartened over his invention (although Fisher officially reported favourably about the lamps). On another occasion, the naval hospital at Halifax requested some flags to fly for the Queen's birthday. Fisher obliged, but sent only yellow and black flags signifying plague and quarantine. On the other hand, he worked hard at improving his ship. As reported by his second in command, Commander Wilmot Fawkes ,
960-445: A much greater firing rate and greater overall weight of broadside . The potentially much greater ranges of large guns was not an issue, because no one knew how to aim them effectively at such ranges. He argued that "the design of fighting ships must follow the mode of fighting instead of fighting being subsidiary to and dependent on the design of ships." As regards how officers needed to behave, he commented, " Think and act for yourself
1056-415: A much more likely enemy. The correspondence revealed that Fisher remained uncertain how his views were being received at the Admiralty and an uncertainty on his part whether he would receive further promotions. He had already received approaches to become a director of Armstrong Whitworth , of Elswick (then Britain's largest armaments firm), at a considerably larger salary than that of an admiral and with
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#17327653045591152-519: A posting in England. In 1872, he returned to England to the gunnery school Excellent , this time as head of torpedo and mine training, during which time he split the Torpedo Branch off from Excellent , forming a separate establishment for it called HMS Vernon . His duties included lecturing, and negotiating the purchase of the navy's first Whitehead torpedo . In order to promote
1248-708: A professional "First Naval Lord" was introduced in 1805, and the title of the office was changed to First Sea Lord on the appointment of Sir John "Jackie" Fisher in 1904. Since 1923, the First Sea Lord has been a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee; he now sits on the Defence Council and the Admiralty Board . The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and a member of
1344-547: A proponent of the new compass being designed by Sir William Thomson which incorporated corrections for the deviation caused by the metal in iron ships. From 9 January to 24 July 1879 Fisher commanded HMS Pallas serving in the Mediterranean Command under Geoffrey Phipps Hornby . Pallas was in poor condition, having a chain passed around the ship to hold the armour plates in place. The tour included an official visit to Istanbul where Fisher dined with
1440-658: A result of the merger of the posts of Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth and Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth . 2SL is based in Portsmouth in a combined headquarters with the Fleet Commander on Whale Island . Until October 2012, he flew his flag from HMS Victory , the world's oldest commissioned warship, which is preserved in dry dock in Portsmouth. The right to use HMS Victory as a flagship came from his position as CINCNAVHOME, who in turn acquired it from
1536-681: A short posting to HMS Minotaur in the Baltic under Admiral Hornby, following the Panjdeh Incident , which led to fear of war with Russia. From November 1886 to 1890, he was Director of Naval Ordnance , responsible for weapons and munitions. He was responsible for the development of quick-firing guns to be used against the growing threat from torpedo boats, and particularly claimed responsibility for removing wooden boarding pikes from navy ships. The Navy did not have responsibility for manufacture and supply of weapons and ammunition, which
1632-650: A spade, the firm fighting mouth, the blunt square nose, and the keen blue eyes...the man, they say, that made the New British Navy". The real First Sea Lord at the time the story is set (early summer 1914) was Prince Louis of Battenberg , coincidentally also bearded. John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher Admiral of the Fleet John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher , GCB , OM , GCVO (25 January 1841 – 10 July 1920), commonly known as Jacky or Jackie Fisher ,
1728-568: A strong navy deterred other nations from engaging it in battle, thus decreasing the likelihood of war: "On the British fleet rests the British Empire." Fisher also believed that the risk of catastrophe in a sea battle was far greater than on land: a war could be lost or won in a day at sea, with no hope of replacing lost ships, but an army could be rebuilt quickly. When an arms race broke out between Germany and Britain to build larger navies,
1824-473: A success and more were ordered, but Fisher immediately ran into trouble by insisting that all shipbuilders, not just Yarrow's, should be invited to build boats to Yarrow's design. A similar (though opposite) difficulty with vested interests arose over the introduction of water tube boilers into navy ships, which held out the promise of improved fuel efficiency and greater speed. The first examples were used by Thornycroft and Yarrow in 1892, and then were trialled in
1920-485: A thing is impossible, that there are insuperable objections, then is the time to fight like the devil . His next appointment was Third Naval Lord and Controller of the Navy , the naval officer with overall responsibility for provision of ships and equipment. He presided over the development of torpedo boat destroyers armed with quick-firing small-calibre guns (called destroyers at Fisher's suggestion). A suggestion for
2016-526: A tortuous layout that crew became lost. The sails were never used for propulsion, but because a ship's performance was partly judged on the speed with which a ship could set sails, Fisher was obliged to drill the crew in their use. In spring 1882 Inflexible was part of the Mediterranean Fleet and was assigned to protection of Queen Victoria during a visit to Menton on the Riviera . This
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#17327653045592112-733: Is a statutory position in the British Armed Forces , usually held by an admiral . As the highest-ranking officer to serve in the Royal Navy , the chief is the principal military advisor on matters pertaining to the navy and a deputy to the Secretary of State for Defence . In a separate capacity, the CNS is a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and, thereby, a military advisor to the National Security Council ,
2208-412: Is the motto for the future, not Let us wait for orders ." Lord Hankey , then a marine officer serving under Fisher, later commented, "It is difficult for anyone who had not lived under the previous regime to realize what a change Fisher brought about in the Mediterranean fleet. ... Before his arrival, the topics and arguments of the officers messes ... were mainly confined to such matters as
2304-708: The Admiralty in 1910 on his 69th birthday, but became First Sea Lord again in November 1914. He resigned seven months later in frustration over Churchill 's Gallipoli campaign , and then served as chairman of the Government's Board of Invention and Research until the end of the war. Fisher was five feet seven inches tall and stocky with a round face. In later years, some suggested that Fisher, born in Ceylon of British parents, had Asian ancestry due to his features and
2400-496: The First Hague Peace Convention in 1899. The peace conference had been called by Russia to agree to limits on armaments, but the British position was to reject any proposal which might restrict use of the navy. Fisher's style was to say little in formal meetings, but to lobby determinedly at all informal gatherings. He impressed many by his affability and style, combined with a serious determination to press
2496-687: The Gulf of Finland during the Crimean War , entitling Fisher to the Baltic Medal , before returning to Britain a few months later. The crew was paid off on 1 March 1856. On 2 March 1856, Fisher was posted to HMS Agamemnon , and was sent to Constantinople (now Istanbul ) to join her. He arrived on 19 May, just as the war was ending. After a tour around the Dardanelles picking up troops and baggage, Agamemnon returned to England, where
2592-504: The North America and West Indies Station , Astley Cooper Key , from 2 March 1877 to 4 June 1878. Bellerophon had been in the dockyard for repairs, so the new crew was less than perfect in carrying out their duties. Fisher told them I intend to give you hell for three months, and if you have not come up to my standard in that time you'll have hell for another three months. Midshipman (later Admiral) Gordon Moore recalled, Fisher
2688-601: The prime minister and the monarch . The First Sea Lord is typically the highest-ranking officer on active duty of the Royal Navy unless the Chief of the Defence Staff is a naval officer. Admiral Ben Key was appointed First Sea Lord in November 2021. Originally titled the "Senior Naval Lord to the Board of Admiralty" when the post was created in 1689, the office was re-styled First Naval Lord in 1771. The concept of
2784-653: The sultan of the Ottoman Empire from gold cups and plates. He then returned to the UK for two months leave at half pay, visiting Bruges with his family. His next posting, starting 25 September 1879, was to HMS Northampton as Flag Captain to Sir Leopold McClintock , commanding the North American squadron. Northampton was a new ship with a number of innovations, including twin screws, searchlights and telephones, as well as being armed with torpedoes. It
2880-496: The "infamous" Alfred Dreyfus to France to foment trouble within the French army. It was Fisher's policy to conduct all manoeuvres at full speed while training the fleet, and to expect the best from his crews. He would socialise with junior officers so that they were not afraid to approach him with ideas, or disagree with him when the occasion demanded. Fisher was chosen by Prime Minister Lord Salisbury as British naval delegate to
2976-627: The 18th century. The standing of all the Commissioners was in theory the same, although the First Commissioner or First Lord exercised an ascendancy over his colleagues from an early date. The generally recognized office of Senior Naval Lord to the Board of Admiralty was established on 8 March 1689, with the first incumbent being Admiral Arthur Herbert ; he was also First Lord of the Admiralty . On 20 January 1690 Admiral Herbert
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3072-402: The Admiralty to obtain additional ships and supplies for the Mediterranean squadron. Beresford, who had established a career in politics alongside his naval one, continued a public campaign for greater funding of the fleet, which caused him to come into conflict with the Admiralty. While Fisher agreed with him as to the need for greater funding and instant readiness for war, he chose to stay out of
3168-613: The Bath (CB) in 1882. From January to April 1883, Fisher was on half pay recovering from his illness. In January, he was invited to visit Osborne House for a fortnight by Queen Victoria, concerned about the charming Captain Fisher. Fisher, having entered the navy penniless and unknown, was delighted. In April 1883, Fisher had recovered sufficiently to return to duty and was appointed commander of HMS Excellent . He remained with Excellent for two years until June 1885, where he gained
3264-401: The British case with everyone he met. The conference ended successfully with limitations only upon dumdum bullets, poison gas and bombings from balloons, and Fisher was rewarded with appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet , 'the tip-top appointment of the fleet' . The German delegation summarised Britain's position: English world position depended upon the navy, the navy
3360-424: The British fleet, and the numerous French torpedo boats. Fisher's innovations were not universally approved, with some senior officers resenting the attention he paid to their juniors, or the pressure he placed on all to improve efficiency. A programme of realistic exercises was adopted including simulated French raids, defensive manoeuvres, night attacks and blockades, all carried out at maximum speed. He introduced
3456-542: The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. Since October 2012, distinct Commander-in-Chief posts have been discontinued and full command responsibility is vested in the First Sea Lord , who now flies his flag from Victory ; this change formed part of the Levene reforms which were implemented at that time. In 2016 the post was retitled Second Sea Lord & Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and defined as "responsible for
3552-668: The Defence Council. He is responsible to Secretary of State for the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale of the Naval Service. As a member of the Defence Council, the First Sea Lord supports the Secretary of State in the management and direction of the Armed Forces through prerogative and statutory powers. As a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, he advises CDS on maritime strategy and policy. He has
3648-606: The German Kaiser commented, 'I admire Fisher, I say nothing against him. If I were in his place I should do all that he has done and I should do all that I know he has in mind to do'. John Arbuthnot Fisher was born on 25 January 1841 on the Wavendon Estate at Ramboda in Ceylon . He was the eldest of eleven children, of whom only seven survived infancy, born to Sophia Fisher and Captain William Fisher,
3744-527: The Royal Society in 1861) and he taught Fisher much about navigation, with spectacular later results. When Shadwell was replaced as captain following an injury in action, he gave Fisher a pair of studs engraved with his family motto 'Loyal au Mort', which Fisher was to use for the rest of his life. Fisher passed the seamanship examination for the rank of lieutenant, and was given the acting rank of mate , on his nineteenth birthday, 25 January 1860. He
3840-662: The appointment of Sir Jackie Fisher in 1904. In 1917 the First Sea Lord was re-styled First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff . From 1923 onward, the First Sea Lord was a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee , and from 1923 to 1959, in rotation with the representatives of the other services (the Chief of the Imperial General Staff and Chief of the Air Staff ), he served as the chairman of that committee and head of all British armed forces. The title
3936-447: The boats was brought to the Admiralty in 1892 by Alfred Yarrow of shipbuilders Thornycroft and Yarrow, who reported that he had obtained plans of new torpedo boats being built by the French, and he could build a faster boat to defend against them. Torpedo boats had become a major threat, as they were cheap but potentially able to sink the largest battleships, and France had built large numbers of them . The first destroyers were considered
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4032-400: The cleaning of paint and brasswork. ... These were forgotten and replaced by incessant controversies on tactics, strategy, gunnery, torpedo warfare, blockade, etc. It was a veritable renaissance and affected every officer in the navy." Lord Charles Beresford , later to become a severe critic of Fisher, gave up a plan to return to Britain and enter parliament, because he had "learnt more in
4128-584: The crew was paid off. Promotion to midshipman came on 12 July 1856 and Fisher joined a 21-gun steam corvette , HMS Highflyer , part of the China Station . He was to spend the next five years in Chinese waters, seeing action in the Second Opium War , 1856–1860. The Highflyer's captain, Charles Shadwell , was an expert on naval astronomy (subsequently being appointed a Fellow of
4224-534: The delivery of the Naval Service’s current and future personnel, equipment and infrastructure". Second Naval Lords include: Second Sea Lords include: Second Sea Lords and Commanders-in-Chief include: See: Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff As of September 2020: Included: First Sea Lord The First Sea Lord , officially known as the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ( 1SL/CNS )
4320-445: The end of his time discussion centred on how to shoot effectively at 5000 yards. This was driven by the increasing range of the torpedo, which had now risen to 3000–4000 yards, necessitating ships fighting effectively at greater ranges. At this time he advocated relatively small main armaments on capital ships (some had 15 inch or greater), because the improved technical design of the relatively small (10 inch) modern guns allowed
4416-500: The end of the tour, Jones was impressed by Fisher. At the end of November 1861, Fisher sat his final lieutenant's examination in navigation at the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth, passing with flying colours. He had already received top grades in seamanship and gunnery, and achieved the highest score then attained under the recently introduced five-yearly scheme, with 963 out of 1,000 marks in navigation. For this, he
4512-501: The first all-big-gun battleship, but he also believed that submarines would become increasingly important and urged their development. He became involved with the introduction of turbine engines to replace reciprocating engines , and with the introduction of oil fuelling to replace coal . He introduced daily baked bread on board ships, whereas when he entered the service it was customary to eat hard biscuits , frequently infested by biscuit beetles . He first officially retired from
4608-520: The first all-iron seagoing armoured battleship and the most powerful ship in the fleet. Built in 1859, she marked the beginning of the end of the Age of Sail and, coincidentally, was armed with both Armstrong guns (breech-loading) and Whitworth rifles (muzzle-loading). Fisher noted he was popular amongst his brother officers because he frequently stayed on board when others went ashore and could take duty for them. Fisher returned to Excellent in 1864 as
4704-480: The first time, specific functions were assigned to each of the 'Naval' Lords, who were described as 'Professional' Lords, leaving to the 'Civil' Lords the routine business of signing documents. On 2 May 1827 the Board of Admiralty once again ceased control of Naval Affairs and was replaced, until 1828, by a Lord High Admirals Council . The title of the First Naval Lord was changed to First Sea Lord on
4800-407: The first time, specific functions were assigned to each of the 'Naval' Lords, who were described as 'Professional' Lords, leaving to the 'Civil' Lords the routine business of signing documents. The Second Naval Lord was the second most senior Naval Lord on the Board of Admiralty and as Chief of Naval Personnel was responsible for handling all personnel matters for the Royal Navy. In 1917 the title
4896-511: The gunboat Sharpshooter . However, an attempt to specify similar boilers for new cruisers in 1894 led to questions in the House of Commons, and opposition from shipbuilders who did not want to invest in the new technology. The matter continued for several years after Fisher moved on to a new posting, with a parliamentary enquiry rejecting the new boilers. Eventually the new design was adopted, but only after another eighteen ships had been built using
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#17327653045594992-529: The hulk of the 26-gun steam frigate Ariadne provided accommodation. HMS Vesuvius , a torpedo boat of 245 tons, was Vernon's experimental tender for the conduct of torpedo trials. They were moored in Portsmouth Harbour . In 1876, Fisher served on the Board of Admiralty 's torpedo committee. Fisher was appointed to command HMS Bellerophon as flag captain to the Admiral of
5088-467: The last week than in the last forty years." Fisher implemented a program of banquets and balls for important dignitaries to improve diplomatic relations. The fleet visited Constantinople, where he had three meetings with the sultan and was awarded the Grand Cordon, Order of Osmanieh in November 1900, and the following year he was promoted to full Admiral on 5 November 1901. He lobbied hard with
5184-465: The line . She was built of wood, in 1831, with 84 smooth-bore muzzle-loading guns arranged on two gun decks, and relied entirely on sail for propulsion. She had a crew of 700, and discipline was strictly enforced by the "hard-bitten Captain Robert Stopford". Fisher fainted when he witnessed eight men being flogged on his first day. Calcutta participated in the blockade of Russian ports in
5280-467: The navy rather than as a seagoing admiral involved in major battles, although in his career he experienced all these things. When appointed First Sea Lord in 1904 he removed 150 ships then on active service which were no longer useful and set about constructing modern replacements, developing a modern fleet prepared to meet Germany during the First World War . Fisher saw the need to improve
5376-593: The navy, via his godmother Lady Horton , widow of the governor of Ceylon to whom William Fisher had been Aide-de-camp . She prevailed upon a neighbour, Admiral Sir William Parker (the last of Nelson 's captains), to nominate John as a naval cadet. The entry examination consisted of writing out the Lord's Prayer and jumping naked over a chair. He formally entered the Royal Navy on 13 July 1854, aged 13, on board Nelson's former flagship, Victory , at Portsmouth. On 29 July he joined HMS Calcutta , an old ship of
5472-503: The new ironclad battleship HMS Inflexible . Admiral McClintock commented, Everyone regrets the departure of Captain Fisher, but I fancy we shall not fully realize our loss until he is gone....Since his nomination to the Inflexible , his spirits have returned and daily increased, and now he almost requires wiring down. The ship was still building, so Fisher was temporarily appointed to HMS Duke of Wellington , flagship of
5568-645: The older design, with consequent poorer performance than necessary. Fisher was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1894 as a Knight Commander of the Bath , promoted to vice-admiral in 1896, and put in charge of the North America and West Indies Station in 1897. In 1898 the Fashoda Crisis brought the threat of war with France, to which Fisher responded with plans to raid the French West Indies including Devil's Island prison, and return
5664-738: The paddle- sloop HMS Furious where he saw sufficient action to add the Taku Forts and Canton clasps to his China War Medal . Furious left Hong Kong and the China Station in March 1861 and, after a leisurely voyage home, paid off her crew in Portsmouth on 30 August. Captain Oliver Jones of the Furious was entirely different from Shadwell: Fisher wrote there was a mutiny on board within his first fortnight, that Jones terrorized his crew and disobeyed orders given to him. For his part, by
5760-430: The performance of the "revolutionary" Armstrong breech-loading guns against the conventional Whitworth muzzle-loading type. During free afternoons Fisher would walk the downs, shouting to practice his command voice. He spent 15 of the next 25 years in four tours of duty at Portsmouth concerned with development of gunnery and torpedoes . In March 1863, Fisher was appointed Gunnery Lieutenant to HMS Warrior ,
5856-456: The point he was seeking to make, and on one occasion, the King asked him to stop shaking his fist in his face. He was considered a "man who demanded to be heard, and one who didn't suffer fools lightly". Throughout his life he was a religious man and attended church regularly when ashore. He had a passion for sermons and might attend two or three services in a day to hear them, which he would 'discuss afterwards with great animation'. However, he
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#17327653045595952-539: The port admiral at Portsmouth between 30 January and 4 July 1881. Fisher was considered sufficiently able, with recommendations following all of his postings, to be appointed captain of the newly completed battleship HMS Inflexible . Inflexible had the largest guns and thickest armour of any ship in the navy, but still carried masts and sails and had slow, muzzle-loading guns. She had been seven years under construction and had many innovations built into her, including electric lighting and torpedo tubes, but with such
6048-470: The port of Alexandria as part of Admiral Seymour 's fleet. Fisher was placed in charge of a landing party which was quartered in the Khedive's palace. Lacking means of reconnaissance, he devised a plan to armour a train with iron plates, machine gun and cannon. This became celebrated and widely reported by correspondents, so that its inventor, Fisher, came to the attention of the public for the first time as
6144-486: The possibility of building privately new designs of ship which he believed would be needed to maintain the strength of the fleet. In early June 1902 Fisher handed over the command of the Mediterranean Squadron to Admiral Sir Compton Domvile , and returned to the UK to take up the appointment as Second Naval Lord in charge of personnel. He was read in at the Admiralty on 9 June, and took up his duties
6240-400: The post of First Sea Lord or its preceding positions. Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their tenure: In John Buchan's novel The Thirty-Nine Steps (1915), the First Sea Lord is named as Lord Alloa, an impostor whom Richard Hannay recognizes at a meeting as a spy and recent pursuer of his. Hannay describes Lord Alloa as recognizable from news pictures for his "beard cut like
6336-518: The practice of junior officers dancing on deck when the band was playing for senior officers' wardroom dinners. This practice spread through the fleet. He broke with the then ball tradition of dancing with a different partner for each dance, instead adopting the scandalous habit of choosing one good dancer as his partner for the evening. His ability to charm all comers of all social classes made up for his sometimes blunt or tactless comments. He suffered from seasickness throughout his life. Fisher's aim
6432-451: The public debate. However, he maintained a steady confidential correspondence with the journalist Arnold White , providing him with information and advice for a newspaper campaign promoting the needs of the navy. During the course of the correspondence in 1902, Fisher noted that although France was Britain's historical enemy, Britain had considerable common interest with France as a possible ally, whereas growing German activity abroad made her
6528-405: The range, accuracy and rate-of-fire of naval gunnery , and became an early proponent of the use of the torpedo , which he believed would supersede big guns for use against ships. As Controller, he introduced torpedo-boat destroyers as a class of ship intended for defence against attack from torpedo boats or from submarines. As First Sea Lord he drove the construction of HMS Dreadnought ,
6624-416: The school, he invited politicians and journalists to attend lectures and organised demonstrations. This produced mixed reactions amongst some officers, who did not approve of his showmanship. He was promoted to captain on 30 October 1874, aged thirty-three, in time to be Vernon ' s first commander. Vernon consisted of the hulk of HMS Vernon , William Symonds ' 1832 50-gun sailing frigate, and
6720-488: The ship carried out 150 runs with torpedoes in a fortnight, whereas the whole rest of the navy performed only 200 in a year. Fisher's brother Philip was serving on the training ship Atalanta , which disappeared somewhere between the West Indies and England, believed lost in a storm. Northampton was one of the ships sent to search for her, but without result. In January 1881 Fisher received news of his appointment to
6816-480: The speed of operations. Royal Sovereign was built in two years rather than three, while changing a barbette gun on a ship was reduced from a two-day operation to two hours. His example obliged all shipyards, both navy and private, to reduce the time they took to complete a ship, making savings in cost and allowing new designs to enter service more rapidly. He used all the tricks he could devise: an official who refused to step outside his office to personally supervise
6912-421: The standards he demanded. He gave lectures on naval strategy to which all officers were invited and once again encouraged his officers to bring ideas to him. He offered prizes for essays on tactics and maintained a large tabletop map room with models of all ships in the fleet, where all officers could come to develop tactics. A particular concern was the threat of torpedoes, which Germany had boasted would dispose of
7008-567: The top of the tree." They remained married until her death in July 1918. They had a son, Cecil Vavasseur , 2nd Baron Fisher (1868–1955), and three daughters, Beatrix Alice (1867–1930), Dorothy Sybil (1873–1962), and Pamela Mary (1876–1949), all of whom married naval officers who went on to become admirals. Beatrix Alice married Reginald Rundell Neeld in 1896, Pamela Mary married Henry Blackett in 1906, and in 1908 Dorothy Sybil married Eric Fullerton . Fisher's father ultimately aided his entry into
7104-483: The very thought of it and really, I don't want to see her. I don't see why I should as I haven't the slightest recollection of her." Fisher married Frances Katharine Josepha Broughton, known as 'Kitty', the daughter of the Rev. Thomas Delves Broughton and Frances Corkran, on 4 April 1866 while stationed at Portsmouth . Kitty's two brothers were both naval officers. According to a cousin, she believed that Jack would rise "to
7200-453: The visit, he started preparing a paper on the design, construction and management of electrical torpedoes, the cutting-edge technology of the time. On 2 August 1869 Fisher was promoted to the rank of commander , "at the early age of twenty-eight" according to biographer Ruddock Mackay. On 8 November, he was posted as second-in-command of HMS Donegal , serving under Captain Hewett ,
7296-436: The work was offered a promotion to the tropics; he would find out the name of one or two men amongst a work crew and then make a point of complimenting them on their work and using their names, giving the impression he knew everyone personally; he took a chair and table into the yard where some operation was to be carried out and declared his intention to stay there until the operation was completed. He observed, When you are told
7392-429: The yellow cast of his skin. However, his colour resulted from dysentery and malaria in middle life, which nearly caused his death. He had a fixed and compelling gaze when addressing someone, which gave little clue to his feelings. Fisher was energetic, ambitious, enthusiastic and clever. A shipmate described him as "easily the most interesting midshipman I ever met". When addressing someone he could become carried away with
7488-516: Was 'efficiency of the fleet and its instant readiness for war', which won him support amongst a certain kind of navy officer. He believed in advancing the most able, rather than the longest serving. This upset those he passed over. Thus, he divided the navy into those who approved of his innovations and those who did not. As he became older and more senior he also became more autocratic and commented, 'Anyone who opposes me, I crush'. He believed that nations fought wars for material gain, and that maintaining
7584-404: Was 6 feet 2 inches..., also especially handsome. Why I am ugly is one of those puzzles of physiology which are beyond finding out". William Fisher sold his commission the year John was born, and became a coffee planter and later chief superintendent of police. He incurred such debt on his two coffee plantations that he could barely support his growing family. At the age of six John (who
7680-457: Was a British Admiral of the Fleet . With more than sixty years in the Royal Navy , his efforts to reform the service helped to usher in an era of modernisation which saw the supersession of wooden sailing ships armed with muzzle-loading cannon by steel-hulled battlecruisers , submarines and the first aircraft carriers . Fisher has a reputation as an innovator, strategist and developer of
7776-695: Was a very exacting master and I had at times long and arduous duties, long hours at the engine room telegraphs in cold fog, etc., and the least inattention was punished. It was, I think, his way of proving us, for he always rewarded us in some way when an extra hard bit of work was over. Cooper Key was transferred to a special squadron operating in the Channel formed to combat fears of war with Russia. Fisher went with him as flag captain of HMS Hercules from 7 June to 21 August 1878. From 22 August to 12 September he transferred still as flag captain under Cooper Key to HMS Valorous . At this time Fisher first became
7872-531: Was always known within the family as "Jack" ) was sent to England to live with his maternal grandfather, Alfred Lambe, in London. His grandfather had also lost money and the family survived by renting out rooms in their home. John's younger brother, Frederic William Fisher , joined the Royal Navy and reached the rank of admiral, and his youngest surviving sibling Philip became a navy lieutenant on HMS Atalanta before drowning in an 1880 storm. William Fisher
7968-479: Was awarded the Beaufort Testimonial, an annual prize of books and instruments; but in the meantime he had to wait around, unpaid, until his appointment came through officially. From January 1862 to March 1863, Fisher returned to the payroll at the navy's principal gunnery school aboard HMS Excellent , a three-decker moored in Portsmouth harbour. During this time, Excellent was evaluating
8064-524: Was changed to the Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel by an order in council dated 23 October. The posts of Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command (CINCNAVHOME) were amalgamated in 1994 in the reductions of the British Armed Forces following the end of the Cold War . The original post of Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command had been created on 1 July 1969, as
8160-607: Was concerned with the route north–south to its colonies in Northern Africa. Fisher retained his flagship from the North American Squadron, HMS Renown , rather than choosing a more powerful but slower traditional battleship, despite criticism from other officers. His strategy emphasised the importance of striking the first blow, but with an awareness that sunk ships could not easily be replaced, and would replace any officer who could not keep up with
8256-454: Was discreet in expressing his religious views because he feared public attention might hinder his professional career. He was not keen on sport, but he was a highly proficient dancer. Fisher employed his dancing skill later in life to charm a number of important ladies. He became interested in dancing in 1877 and insisted that the officers of his ship learn to dance. Fisher cancelled the leave of midshipmen who would not take part. He introduced
8352-507: Was fitted with an experimental Thomson-designed compass, which the inventor was on hand to adjust. Three days were spent attempting and failing to adjust the compass, with Thomson becoming increasingly bad tempered, until it was noticed that by accident the degree card had been marked with only 359 instead of 360 degrees. The ship was fitted with a new design of lamp created by Captain Philip Colomb , who came on board to inspect them. As
8448-534: Was in the hands of the War Office . Fisher began a long campaign to return this responsibility to the Admiralty, but did not finally succeed until he later became First Sea Lord. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Queen in 1887, and promoted Rear-Admiral in August 1890. From May 1891 to February 1892, Fisher was Admiral Superintendent of the dockyard at Portsmouth , where he concerned himself with improving
8544-487: Was intended as a reminder of British naval prowess to the French, but allowed Fisher to meet Victoria and her grandson, Prince Henry of Prussia , who later became admiral of the German navy. Victoria was impressed by Fisher, as she had been by his brother Philip who had served on royal yachts and for whom she had arranged the ill-fated posting to Atalanta . Inflexible took part in the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War , bombarding
8640-495: Was killed in a riding accident on 5 May 1866 when John was 25. John's relationship with his mother Sophia suffered from their separation. However, he continued to send her an allowance until her death. In 1870, when Sophia suggested a visit, Fisher dissuaded her as strongly as he could. Fisher wrote to his wife: "I heard from my mother... She contemplates coming to see me... I am in a horrid fright of my mother turning up some day unexpectedly; I am sure we couldn't live together. I hate
8736-588: Was retained when the Board of Admiralty was abolished in 1964 and the Board's functions were integrated into the Ministry of Defence. Under the current organisation, the First Sea Lord sits on the Defence Council , the Admiralty Board and the Navy Board . Since 2012, the flagship of the First Sea Lord has nominally been the ship of the line HMS Victory , which used to be Lord Nelson's flagship. The following table lists all those who have held
8832-533: Was succeeded by Admiral Sir John Chicheley under First Lord of Admiralty Thomas Herbert, Earl of Pembroke . On 22 May 1702 the Board of Admiralty ceased control of Naval Affairs and was replaced by the Lord Admiral's Council . The previous office of Senior Naval Lord was replaced by a Senior Member to the Lords Admiral Council ; he was usually a serving naval officer of admiral rank and
8928-610: Was sufficiently powerful to overcome any combination of states, and England reserved the right to employ that fleet any way it chose. Unlike the North America and West Indies station, the Mediterranean Fleet was a vital British command operating from Alexandria and Gibraltar . The important shipping route between India and Britain passed through the Suez Canal , and was considered threatened by France. France
9024-648: Was the Chief Naval Adviser to the Lord Admiral. This lasted until 8 November 1709, when the Board of Admiralty resumed control of Naval Affairs and the post of Senior Naval Lord was resumed. On 2 February 1771 the office of Senior Naval Lord was renamed to First Naval Lord . The first post holder was Vice-Admiral Augustus Hervey ; he first served under First Lord of the Admiralty John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich . In 1805, for
9120-464: Was transferred three months later from the steam frigate Chesapeake to the screw corvette Pearl as an acting lieutenant . Shortly afterwards, Fisher had his first brief command: taking the yacht of the China Squadron's admiral—the paddle- gunboat HMS Coromandel —from Hong Kong to Canton (presently Guangzhou ), a voyage of four days. He was transferred, on 12 June 1860, to
9216-442: Was whilst he was on Ocean that he wrote an eight-page memoir: "Naval Tactics", which Captain J. G. Goodenough had printed for private circulation. He installed a system of electrical firing so that all guns could be fired simultaneously, making Ocean the first vessel to be so equipped. Fisher noted in his letters that he greatly missed his wife, but also missed his work on torpedoes and the access to important people possible with
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