§ Admiralty, S.W., February 5, 1887.
§ Sir,
§ NUMEROUS instances having been recently brought to the notice of my Lords in which officers in command of Her Majesty's ships have sent to the Dockyards lists of defects to be made good which contained items of work that could and should have been undertaken by artificers of the ships; as well as proposals for alterations of a nature which, while not adding to efficiency, would fritter away money which might be more profitably applied, my Lords direct the attention of Commanding Officers to Article 1220, p. 392, of the Queen's Regulations, and impress upon them the necessity of a cessation of these practices, tending as they do to the performance of unnecessary work in the Dockyards which ought to be devoted to maintaining and strengthening the fighting efficiency of the Fleet.
§ 2. Having thus pointedly called attention to the matter, my Lords expect that Commanding Officers will realize the paramount importance of the ships under their command being kept as free from defects and ready for service as the means on board will permit, requisitioning from the Dockyard only for such repairs as are undoubtedly beyond their own resources.
§ 3. Attention is also called to the fact of ships' books having been supplied to Captains to inform them of the previous history of their ships, thus enabling them to watch and influence, as far as possible, expenditure on repairs.
§ 4. Any failure or neglect to comply with these directions will not be viewed with indifference by their Lordships, and will influence their decision as to the merits of officers and their fitness for the command of Her Majesty's ships.
§ I am,
§ Sir,
§ Your obedient Servant,
§ EVAN MACGREGOR.
§ To the Commander-in-Chief
§ on the Station.