Admiralty Order in Council No. 17.

12th March 1903.

N.

Whereas Her late Majesty was graciously pleased by Her Order in Council, bearing date the 12th December 1877, to establish that Inspectors General of Hospitals and Fleets should rank as Rear Admirals according to the date of Commission, and that Deputy Inspectors General of Hospitals and Fleets should rank as Captains of over three years standing.

And whereas the Naval Medical Officer holding the appointment of Director-General of the Medical Department of Your Majesty's Navy for the time being has as such no Naval relative rank.

And whereas we are of opinion that the important administrative duties which devolve upon the Director- General of the Naval Medical Department render it desirable that the Officer for the time being holding this appointment should have a higher Naval relative rank than that which he would hold by virtue of his position on the general list of Medical Officers of the Fleet.

We beg leave humbly to recommend that Your Majesty may be graciously pleased by Your Order in Council to establish that the Officer holding for the time being the appointment of Medical Director-General of the Navy shall be granted, at our discretion, the Naval relative rank of Vice- Admiral, if he should be an Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets, and that of Rear-Admiral if he should be of the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets.

We further beg leave humbly to recommend that a Medical Officer, after relinquishing the post of Director-General, may be allowed, at our discretion, to assume on retirement from the Active List the relative Naval rank accorded to him by virtue of his service as Director-General, if he should not otherwise become entitled to it under existing regulations.

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