- 1. CASES having recently been brought to the notice of my Lords in which the immersion of a ship when complete for sea will be seriously and prejudicially affected by reason of introduction during construction of additions and alterations to the hull, machinery, complement, armament, &c, the procedure hereafter defined is to be strictly observed.
- 2. When a design for a ship is required, the Controller will furnish the Board with a general idea of the class of vessel required.
- 3. The Controller will, after conferring with the First Naval Lord, and obtaining his written approval as to the speed, armament, complement, and sail power, if any, instruct the Director of Naval Construction to prepare a sketch design for consideration embodying such features as may have been decided upon by the First Naval Lord and the Controller.
- 4. The Director of Naval Construction, after conferring with and obtaining the opinion in writing of the Director of Naval Ordnance and the Engineer-in-Chief as to the armament and machinery respectively, is to prepare a sketch which shall be submitted to the Controller, who will bring the same before the Board.
- 5. If the sketch design is generally approved by the Board, orders will be given by the Controller that the design is to he worked out in detail, or modified with a view to its ultimate adoption. (The sketch design will be prepared in accordance with the following Board Minute of the 21st September, 1886, relating to load draught).
- 6. The Director of Naval Construction will, in consultation with the Director of Naval Ordnance, and the Engineer-in-Chief, complete the design, and submit it, with a full and careful description of the expected qualities and capabilities of the ship, for the concurrence of the Controller, by whom it will be sent to the Secretary for circulation to the several members of the Board, before being considered at a Board meeting.
§ After a design has been approved by the Board, and has received the Board stamp, not any alteration or addition either in hull, machinery, armament, complement of men, boats, or stores, or other details, shall be permitted without the concurrence of the Board.
§ 7. The Controller shall be responsible that not any deviation from the designs approved by the Board shall take place which would in any way affect the immersion of the ship when completed for service.—(Board Minute, 15th February, 1887.)