Instructions for the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance

Instructions for the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance at the Admiralty.

Instructions

1. The Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance will form part of the Department of the Director of Naval Ordnance, who will be primarily responsible to the Board for the work of his Branch. The following detailed instructions are to be considered as supplementary to those for the Director of Naval Ordnance.

2. He will advise and assist the Director of Naval Ordnance on all matters in connection with designs and alterations in pattern of Naval Ordnance and Ordnance Stores.

3. He will be held responsible for the proper inspection of all Naval Ordnance Stores under manufacture, except those manufactured in the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich; Royal Gunpowder Factor, Waltham Abbey; and Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield.

4. He will be held responsible for the proper testing of all steel used in the manufacture of guns and projectiles, and also for the inspection and examination of guns, made by contract, both before and after proof. The Inspector of Steel, Sheffield, will be placed under his orders for this purpose.

5. The members of the Naval Inspection Staff, except those lent for service under the War Office, will be under his immediate control and directions, and he will be held responsible for the proper conduct of their duties.

6. The methods, gauges, and procedure connected with inspection in use by the Chief Inspector, Woolwich, are to be adopted as far as possible.

7. He will arrange with the Proof and Experimental Establishments at Woolwich and Shoeburyness for the proof, chemical, and other tests to be carried out without unnecessary delays. Should undue delay arise, he will bring the matter to the notice of the Director of Naval Ordnance.

8. The Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance will visit the Contractors' Works, as necessary, in order to watch progress of manufacture, and also to discuss and settle with contractors any technical details that fall within the terms of the contract or the approved specifications and drawings.

9. He will on no account make any changes or alterations in the contract or the approved specifications or drawings, nor sanction any step that will involve any additional cost, or in any way affect the approved designs or date of delivery without first obtaining the approval of the Director of Naval Ordnance, who will obtain Board authority if required. This action will be taken after reference to the Director of Contracts, if necessary, and the latter officer will in all cases be informed as to any such alterations decided upon, so that he may make the necessary arrangements with the contractors for alteration of the contract accordingly.

10. No new description of Ordnance Stores is to be ordered, examined or adopted for use in the Navy without the concurrence of the Director of Naval Ordnance, and no experiments involving cost should be undertaken without his approval.

11. Before any new design is introduced into the Naval Service he is to take steps to ascertain whether anything of a similar nature is contemplated by the War Office, so that, as far as possible, interchangeability may be maintained.

12. He will be responsible for the preparation and correction of the technical portions of all specifications for Naval Ordnance Stores, and for seeing that all necessary working drawings are ready in time to enable tenders to be invited.

13. He will, in conjunction with the Superintendent of Ordnance Stores and the Director of Contracts, examine and report on all tenders for Naval Ordnance and Ordnance Stores.

14. He may correspond on all matters of detail with the various Departments at the War Office, Woolwich Arsenal, Shoeburyness, and the Captains of the Gunnery Schools, but all communications of importance are to be passed through the Director of Naval Ordnance. Questions to the Ordnance Board are to be referred through the Director of Naval Ordnance.

15. Records of the proceedings of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance's Branch are not to be printed, but he is to see that reports of any important questions are prepared for the information of Director of Naval Ordnance. These reports are also, if necessary, to be furnished to the Director of Artillery, as is now the case with Ordnance Board reports. He will also submit to the Director of Naval Ordnance monthly, or more frequently if necessary, lists of important outstanding questions under consideration.

16. He will keep the Director of Naval Ordnance informed of all matters of importance that may arise.

By command of Their Lordships,

W Graham Greene

Admiralty,

September, 1912.