Nucleus Crews.
It is impossible to exaggerate the vital importance to the nation of having all the reserve ships absolutely ready for instant war.
Our reserve ships, as they are now, are not, and cannot be made really efficient fighting units under several months of commission. There is no doubt that great strides towards rapid mobilisation have been made of late years, but merely to hustle a complement of the required ratings into a ship, is not to make her a really efficient fighting machine.
The keystone of our preparedness for war has now to be inserted, namely, the provision of efficient nucleus crews.
This can be done to-morrow.
A nucleus crew should consist of approximately two-fifths of her engine-room complement, the whole of her turret crews, gun layers and sight-setters for all guns, all important special ratings, and two-fifths of her normal crew, her captain, and all important officers.
The ship can proceed half-yearly, or quarterly, as may be required, to sea with her fighting ship’s company to carry out firing exercises, or to work under the Admiral or Commodore who will command her and her consorts in war, and be as nearly perfectly efficient as any ship, not always at sea, can be.
No more men above our present requirements need be entered, training in gunnery and torpedo schools need not be interfered with, and a saving of money to the taxpayer effected.