Mr. Seely on Tuesday brought up the old question whether
it would not be, en the whole, better to abolish the Board of Admiralty, and leave all power and responsibility in theory, where it now rests in practice, with the First Lord. The members of the Board would then become permanent heads of departments. Mr. Goscheu in a highly conciliatory speech argued that this would be inexpedient, on the ground that it was easier to attract the highest professional advice to the Board, than to subordinate appointments even if they were permanent, and that the Admirals save their advice as members under a deeper sense of responsibility. The business and the responsibility for the business were dis- tributed among them already, and the only point at issue was the best method of securing their advice. The point is one for the department rather than the public, but we may remark that Mr. Seely's system usually ends in the permanent subordinate monopolizing power and rejecting responsibility. The motion was defeated by 110 to 30.
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