( 5 )
and unremitting attendance for more than four years and a half.
Sir John Hay had thus not only completed every condition to qualify him for an Admiral, but had devoted more than five years of service to the duties which the First Lord of the Admiralty requested him to perform.
But having done so, having served actively in every war, and having performed laborious and unpaid duties in peace, he had a right to the belief that Government would fulfil the conditions of service under which he had continued to serve.
On the 24th March, 1866, however, a new rule was made, and it was provided that a retirement at certain fixed ages would for the future be enforced on all flag officers.[1] Though this rule to a certain extent deprived
- ↑ Further Retirement of Flag Officers under the Order in Council of 24th March, 1866.
- Compulsory Retirement to be extended to all the Executive Lists.
- Admirals to be retired on attaining 70 years of age, or when physically unfit for service.
- Vice-Admirals to be retired on attaining 68 years of age, or when physically unfit for service.
- Rear-Admirals to be retired on attaining 65 years of age, or when physically unfit for service.
- Flag Officers at present on the Active List, who may be retired under these regulations, will retain all the privileges of rising in rank and pay to which they are now entitled; but no Flag Officer who has not hoisted his flag will be considered eligible for the appointments of Vice and Rear Admirals of the United Kingdom, or for promotion to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet.
- The Active Flag List to be reduced to 85.
Admirals of the Fleet and Admirals
(But not to be more than three Admirals of the Fleet at one time)21 Vice-Admirals 22 Rear-Admirals 42 85 This reduction to be made gradually, by only filling up two out of every three vacancies caused by the removal of Flag Officers who accept Greenwich Pen-
