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The Naval Intelligence Department (NID)[1] was the intelligence arm of the British Admiralty from 1887 until 1912 when most of its subsidiary divisions were absorbed during the creation of the Admiralty War Staff department that included a new Naval Intelligence Division that concentrated in that sphere solely. It dealt with intelligence matters concerning British naval plans, and with the collection of naval intelligence in regard to coastal defences, foreign powers, mobilisation, trade and war.
 | |
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1887 |
| Preceding Department |
|
| Dissolved | 1912 |
| Superseding Department | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of the United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | Admiralty Building Whitehall London |
| Parent Department | Admiralty |
The Foreign Intelligence Committee was established in 1882[2] and it evolved into the Naval Intelligence Department in 1887.[1]
The NID staff were originally responsible for fleet mobilisation and war plans as well as foreign intelligence collection; thus in the beginning there were originally two divisions: (1) intelligence (Foreign) and (2) Mobilisation. In 1900 another division, War, was added to deal with issues of strategy and defence, and in 1902 a fourth division, Trade, was created for matters related to the protection of merchant shipping. The Trade Division was abolished in October 1909 in the wake of the Committee of Imperial Defence inquiry into the feud between the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir John Fisher and former Commander-in-Chief Channel Fleet, Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, when it was discovered that the captain heading the Trade Division had been supplying the latter with confidential information during the inquiry.[3]
In 1910, the NID was shorn of its responsibility for war planning and strategy when the outgoing Fisher created the Navy War Council as a stop-gap remedy to criticisms emanating from the Beresford Inquiry that the Navy needed a naval staff—a role the NID had been in fact fulfilling since at least 1900, if not earlier. After this reorganisation, war planning and strategic matters were transferred to the newly created Naval Mobilisation Department and the NID reverted to the position it held prior to 1887—an intelligence collection and collation organisation.[4]
In 1912 the department was restructured with most of its divisions and functions being absorbed within the Admiralty War Staff organisation the department was abolished and re-emerged as the Naval Intelligence Division of the new department.
Directors of Naval Intelligence included:[5]
Included:[6]
Assistant Director Mobilisation Division
Assistant Director War Division
Assistant Director Foreign Division
Assistant Director Trade Division
Assistant Director Coastal Defences Division
The distribution of intelligence work within specialist divisions assigned for those tasks can be seen below.
Responsibilities included:[8]
| Section | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| (A.D.M.D) | Armed Merchant Cruisers (Personnel), Auxiliary requirements of Home Ports for War, Control of railway traffic in times of War, Mobilisation arrangements, Retired officer lists and appointments. |
Responsibilities included:[8]
| Section | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| (A.D.W.D) | All questions related to Indian and Colonial defences, Consideration of all plans for expediation, Distribution of intelligence, Mobilisation arrangements, General questions of strategical policy (including war plans when directed by First Sea Lord and (D.N.I), Preparations on and reports for British manoeuvres and tactical exercises, War Order's for Fleet C-in-C's, Wireless telegraphy. |
Responsibilities included:[8]
| Section | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| (A.D.F.D) | Correspondence with Naval Attaches; Contraband of War; Estimates personnel and mercantile marine of foreign powers; Naval Administration, coast defences, government and private shipyards, arsenals, factories, naval ordnance and communications of foreign powers. |
Responsibilities included:[8]
| Section | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| (A.D.T.D) | Questions related to defence of British trade in war; Statistics relating to ocean commerce and trade. |
Responsibilities included:[8]
| Section | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| (A.D.CDD.) | Take over duties of Foreign Division with the notation and reports of coastal and port defences of foreign powers. . |
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