The reasons for the superiority of England on the seas by the middle of the XVIII century. From cabin boy to admiral Officer ranks in the English Navy of the 17th century

Shipborne ranks in the navy are used in the Russian Navy and are assigned to sailors as far as they are able to take responsibility for the command of one or another military unit. They are also assigned to the military of the coast guard of the border troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, underwater and surface units of the Navy and naval units of the troops.

Almost all naval ranks are different from the missile and ground forces, the airborne forces and the armed forces. From 1884 to 1991, they changed due to a number of events:

  • the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917;
  • the creation of the Soviet Union and its subsequent collapse 1922-1991;
  • creation of the Russian Federation in 1991

Modern ranks in the navy divided into 4 categories:

1. Conscripts for urgent and contract service. This includes: a sailor, a senior sailor, a foreman of the second article, a foreman of the first article and a chief ship foreman. The senior midshipman and the senior midshipman are also included in the senior staff.

2. Junior officers of the fleet. These are: junior lieutenant, lieutenant, senior lieutenant and lieutenant commander.

3. Senior officers of the Navy. Ranks are divided: captains of the third, second and first rank.

4. The highest officers. Consists of: Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral and Admiral of the Fleet.

Detailed description of ship ranks in ascending order

Sailor- junior rank in the navy, which corresponds to the land private. These are conscripts.

Senior sailor- a parallel to the army rank of corporal, which is assigned to a sailor for observing discipline and exemplary performance of duties. May be an assistant to the foreman and replace the foreman of the second article.

Senior staff

Sergeant major of the second article- junior rank in the senior staff, which was introduced on November 2, 1940. It is located in rank above the senior sailor and below the foreman of the first article. May be a squad leader.

Petty officer of the first article- a sailor of the fleet, who is located in rank above the foreman of the second article, but below the chief foreman. The second, as it grows in the list of senior officers, was introduced on November 2, 1940. This is the squad leader, who showed excellent results in the performance of military and organizational duties.

Chief ship sergeant major- military rank in the Navy of the Russian Federation and the Coast Guard. He occupies a place between the foreman of the first article and the midshipman of the fleet. The naval rank of chief ship foreman corresponds to the army senior sergeant. Can replace the platoon leader.

Midshipman- a word of English origin, which is assigned to a sailor after passing the relevant training programs and courses. On land, this is an ensign. Performs organizational and combat duties as a platoon commander or company foreman.

Senior midshipman- a military rank in the Navy of the Russian Federation, which is higher in rank than midshipman, but lower than junior lieutenant. Similarly, a senior warrant officer in other branches of the military.

junior officers

Rank junior lieutenant comes from French and translates as "deputy". He occupies the first step in the junior officers, both in the ground and naval forces. May be a post or platoon leader.

Lieutenant- the second among ranks in the navy, in rank above junior lieutenant and below senior lieutenant. Assigned upon expiration of service with the rank of junior lieutenant.

Senior Lieutenant- the naval rank of junior officers in Russia, which is higher in rank than lieutenant, and lower than lieutenant commander. With excellent performance in the service, he can be an assistant to the captain of the ship.

Lieutenant Commander- the highest rank of junior officers, which in the Russian Federation and Germany corresponds to the captain of the army of the ground forces. A sailor with this rank is considered the deputy captain of the ship and the commander of a company of hundreds of subordinates.

Senior officers

Captain 3rd rank- Corresponds to an army major. The abbreviated name of the shoulder strap is "captri". Among the duties is command of a ship of the corresponding rank. These are small military vessels: landing, anti-submarine, torpedo and minesweepers.

Captain of the second rank, or "kapdva" - the rank of a sailor in the Navy, which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in land ranks. This is the commander of a ship of the same rank: large landing, missile and destroyers.

Captain of the first rank, or "kapraz", "kapturang" - a military rank in the Russian Navy, which is higher in rank than a captain of the second rank and lower than a rear admiral. May 7, 1940 exists among ranks in the navy, decided by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. "Kapturang" commands ships with complex control and huge military power: aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines and cruisers.

Senior officer corps

rear admiral can command a squadron of ships and replace the commander of a flotilla. Adopted since 1940 and since that time corresponds to the major general of the ground forces and aviation.

Vice Admiral- the rank of sailors in Russia, which allows you to replace the admiral. Corresponds to the lieutenant general of the ground forces. Manages fleet operations.

Admiral from the Dutch language it is translated as "lord of the sea", therefore it is in the highest officer corps. Army employees correspond to the rank of colonel-general. Operates an active fleet.

Fleet Admiral- the highest active rank, as well as in other types of troops, army general. Manages the fleet and is assigned to active admirals with excellent combat, organizational and strategic performance.

What types of troops are assigned naval ranks?

The Navy of the Russian Federation (Russian Navy) also includes the following units:

  • marines;
  • coast guard;
  • naval aviation.

The Marine Corps is a unit that carries out the defense of military installations, sections of the coast and other sea lines. As part of the "marines" there are sabotage and reconnaissance groups. Marine Corps motto: "Where we are, there is victory."

The Coast Guard is a branch of the military that defends the bases of the Russian fleets and special objects of the coastal zone. They have at their disposal anti-aircraft, torpedo, mine weapons, as well as missile systems and other artillery.

Naval aviation - troops whose duties include the detection and destruction of the enemy, the defense of ships and other elements from enemy forces, the destruction of enemy aircraft, helicopters and other air structures. The aviation of the Russian Federation also carries out air transportation and rescue operations on the high seas.

How and for what is the next rank awarded to sailors?

The assignment of the next title is described in the current laws of the Russian Federation:

  • for a senior sailor, it is necessary to serve 5 months;
  • receiving a foreman of the 2nd article can be expected after a year of service;
  • three years for senior sergeant and chief ship foreman;
  • three years to receive a midshipman;
  • 2 years for junior lieutenant;
  • 3 to receive a lieutenant and a senior lieutenant;
  • 4 years to get a lieutenant commander and a captain of the 3rd rank.
  • 5 years to captain 2nd and 1st rank;
  • for senior officers for at least a year at the same rank.

It is also worth knowing that military ranks in the navy can be assigned if the due date has not yet passed, but the military man has shown his organizational, tactical and strategic abilities. The sailor who does not want to become an admiral is bad, all the more so, it is possible. There are many examples of ambitious, ambitious sailors who became admirals.

Until the middle of the eighteenth century, naval officers went to sea dressed in accordance with the canons of fashion adopted on the coast for a gentleman. Despite some changes being made to clothing to suit life on board, the suit was not well suited to shipboard duties and it was impossible to distinguish a line officer from volunteers, warrant officers (a category of command staff between a non-commissioned officer and an officer) and other dandies who were in the ranks of ordinary sailors.
In order to provide officers with a suit "befitting a real officer", an acceptable alternative to the uniform was adopted in the navy: the first regulation on the uniforms of naval officers was introduced in 1748. All officers were required to have two sets of uniforms: a dress suit and a casual uniform, the latter was originally called a "coat". Revised in November 1787, the charter provided for the full dress as: a dark blue tunic worn over a white blouse, white breeches, white stockings and shoes with buckles. The difference in shape, number, arrangement and style of the buttons served to differentiate the ranks from volunteer to admiral. A simple blue frock coat without any military insignia served as a daily uniform, which, according to the officers themselves, "caused no less respect both on shore and on board"

In 1793, the dress uniform of senior officers had a significant amount of embroidery, correlated with the uniform of army generals of the same period, but with the introduction of the regulations of 1795, most of the innovations and changes followed. This charter introduced the wearing of epaulettes on the uniforms of naval officers (some); Marine Corps officers also wore epaulettes for a period of time. While many officers advocated the introduction of this insignia, others, including Nelson, considered epaulettes to be French fashion and disparaged those officers who wore epaulettes before their inclusion in the charter.

Figure 4. Volunteers of the 1st and 2nd grades. About 1830

Fig 5. Captain 3rd rank; senior assistant commander. About 1830

Rice. 6. Rear Admiral. About 1828

Not all combat officers relied on epaulettes, to the chagrin of the lieutenants, their uniform remained unchanged. A cocked hat with a gilded edging relied on officers in the rank of not lower than a lieutenant, and new type buttons were also introduced for all officers. At the turn of the century, it became common to wear lapels on tunics buttoned across: an additional galloon, which can sometimes be found on the uniforms of captains of that time over cuffs, was considered unofficial, but most likely was a common thing to distinguish a captain from a senior assistant.

In 1812, white trim reappears on the uniforms of officers. All buttons above the anchors now had a crown. At first, the uniform of the admiral of the fleet was different from the uniforms of other admirals. The tunics of the lieutenants remained unchanged, but after many years they received one epaulette worn on the right shoulder. The captain's senior assistants now relied on two simple epaulettes, on the captain's epaulettes it was located along the anchor, after a three-year service a crown was added over the anchor.

Figure 10. Assistant, cabin boy and senior assistant to the captain. About 1849

In 1825 jackets and trousers were replaced by frock coats and breeches, and in 1833 pointed hats with cockades were introduced for everyday uniforms. The development and characteristic features of the officer's uniform are shown in the table below.

Admiral

Front

Blue single-breasted tunic on a white lining (fastened with hooks), with a blue standing collar trimmed with gold edging, without lapels, trimmed with gold galloon, nine gold buttons and loops evenly spaced on each side; white cuffs with galloons - one for the rear admiral, two for the vice admiral, three for the admiral; without epaulettes. On the buttons: anchor with a laurel wreath on the edge. White single-breasted waistcoat, white shirt, white breeches, white stockings, black shoes with buckles.

Daily

A blue double-breasted tunic with a white lining, worn either buttoned or unbuttoned; simple cuffs, pocket flaps with three gold buttons and loops. Without edging; nine gold buttons evenly spaced for admirals, three for vice admirals and ten pairs for rear admirals. No epaulets.

Front

Blue single-breasted tunic with white lining, blue stand-up collar, blue lapels with nine evenly spaced gold buttons, gold piping on cuffs, collar, lapels and coattail; epaulettes with one, two and three eight-ray stars for rear admirals, vice admirals and admirals, respectively; blue cuffs with a wide additional galloon; the rest is unchanged
Around 1800, the three-cornered hat was replaced by a hat with two pommel, worn across.

Daily

The tunic and epaulettes are like on the dress uniform, but the edging is only on the cuffs.

After March 1812

Front

As before, but with white lapels and cuffs: a crown was added on the buttons above the anchor. A new uniform was introduced for the Admiral of the Fleet, with four gold galloons on the cuffs.

Daily

No changes, except for new buttons.
Admiral of the Fleet: white lapels and cuffs with gold braid (four gold laces on the cuffs) and a gold piping on the collar.
Captain

Front

Blue tunic on a white lining with a stand-up collar; blue lapels with gold lace, nine buttons on each side; blue cuffs and pockets with three buttons on each. White vest, breeches, stockings. No epaulets. Captain buttons.

Daily

Double-breasted white-lined tunic with fold-over collar; nine buttons evenly spaced for captains with three years of service and three each for captains with less service; lapels without galloons. White vest, breeches, stockings. No epaulets. Three buttons for pockets and cuffs. Buttons for both shapes: rope oval anchor, rope-shaped button edging.

Front

As before, but blue lapels, loops trimmed with non-gold threads and one edging braid along all edges, including coattails, cuffs again became with triangular lapels with three gilded brass buttons, two braids (“cut cuff”, canceled in 1787.) ; nine buttons evenly spaced, button design unchanged. Buttons were usually located on the inside and fastened with an overlap. The tunic was usually worn unbuttoned. White vest, breeches, stockings. Captains with three years of service had simple gold epaulettes on each shoulder, captains with less seniority had one on the right shoulder. Around 1800, the three-cornered hat was replaced by a double-pimpled hat worn lengthwise.

Daily

The tunic is like in a dress uniform, but without galloons and embroidery; the lining is usually blue. White vest, breeches and/or over the knee boots if appropriate. Epaulettes are not required.

After March 1812

Front

As before, but the tunic is double-breasted with white cuffs and lapels, for captains with less than three years of service there is now a silver anchor on epaulettes, for captains with more than three years of service a crown has been added above the anchor, all captains wore two epaulettes. Crowns are introduced on the buttons above the anchors.
Captains of the first rank and captains of disciplinary supervision wore the everyday uniform of a rear admiral as dress and everyday.

Daily
Navigator and senior assistant to the captain (captain of the 3rd rank)

Front

Blue tunic with white lining and blue stand-up collar; blue lapels with gold braid and nine buttons on each side; blue cuffs and pockets with three buttons. White vest, breeches, stockings. No epaulets. Buttons like a captain.

Daily

Double-breasted white-lined tunic with fold-over collar; ten buttons located in pairs on each side, lapels without galloons. White vest, breeches, stockings. No epaulets.

Front

As a captain, with the exception of one epaulette on the left shoulder, one braid on the cuffs.

Daily

Like a front door, but without galloons; simple cuffs with buttons parallel to the wrist; the lining is usually blue. White vest and stockings, blue breeches.

After March 1812

Front

As before, but with white cuffs and lapels; two simple epaulettes. A crown appeared on the buttons above the anchor

Daily

As before, but with new epaulettes and buttons.
Around 1800, the three-cornered hat was replaced by a double-pimpled hat worn lengthwise. At the beginning of the century, the term "casual uniform" was replaced by the term "tailcoat".

Front

Like the captain, but without piping. White single-breasted vest, breeches, stockings, cuffs. Without epaulettes.

Daily

A blue single-breasted tunic with a white lining (usually buttoned with an overlap), a stand-up collar and nine buttons. Pockets, round cuffs, lapels and collar without galloons, but were edged in white; pockets and cuffs had three brass buttons each. White waistcoat, breeches, stockings (breeches and over the knee boots were common practice). No epaulets.

Front

Without changes

Daily

Without changes

After March 1812

Front

Like the captain, including the same buttons, but without galloons; a simple gold epaulette on the right shoulder.

Daily

As before, but with new epaulettes and buttons. Around 1800, the three-cornered hat was replaced by a double-pimpled hat worn lengthwise. At the beginning of the century, the term "casual uniform" was replaced by the term "tailcoat". Second lieutenants wore the everyday uniform of lieutenants at all times.
Midshipman

Front

Blue single-breasted tunic with blue lining without lapels, stand-up collar with white patch with one button on the edge, nine small evenly spaced buttons (anchor, but without edging with a rope); blue cuffs with three buttons. White vest, breeches, stockings. No epaulets. Dagger on a belt made of black leather.

Daily

Not established: usually a blue tunic, sewn according to an officer's pattern. Gray breeches for everyday use.
Assistant Commander

Until August 1807

Front

As with midshipmen, but a turn-down collar without a stripe and piping along the front edge of the tunic, pockets, and behind the buttons on the cuffs. No epaulets. Buttons like warrant officers (large anchors without piping).

Daily

Like a midshipman.

After August 1807

Front

As before, but a stand-up collar with a button on each side with a new design (anchor in a rope oval).

Daily

The same.
Volunteer

Front

Not established: usually a blue tunic, sewn according to an officer's pattern.

Daily

Not installed.

Warrant officers (category of command personnel between a non-commissioned officer and an officer)

From November 1, 1787, warrant officers wore a simple blue single-breasted tunic on a white lining with a turn-down collar and nine buttons (an anchor was depicted on a gilded button), three buttons on cuffs and pockets; white vest, breeches, stockings; without epaulettes. With changes in the charter in 1795 and in August 1807, the uniform remained unchanged, but in 1812 a crown was added to all buttons.

Navigators and treasurers wore the standard uniform of warrant officers. The ceremonial uniform was approved on June 29, 1807, the buttons of the navigators depicted the anchor of the naval department, surrounded by two smaller anchors in an oval in the shape of a rope, the buttons of the treasurer depicted two crossed anchors of the Food Department. In 1812, a crown appeared on both types of buttons. Mechanics were relegated to the rank of warrant officer in 1837 and wore the standard uniform until 1841, when an image of a lever was added to the mechanics' buttons. In 1847, mechanics were classified as line officers and wore the uniforms of lieutenants or commanders, this applied only to chief mechanics.

Sailors did not have an official uniform until 1857, their clothes depended on the conditions of service, the general well-being of the ship and crew, as well as the preferences of the captain. When the ship was in home waters, the treasurer received clothing and uniforms, and then the sailor could (or was obliged) to buy everything necessary for life on board from the treasurer, usually on credit, which was approximately equal to two months' salary.
In 1824, an attempt was made to unify the uniform of sailors. The "Instructions for Treasurers" provided a list of the necessary uniforms on the ship. The instruction included: a blue cloth jacket and trousers, a knitted worsted waistcoat, canvas trousers and jacket, shirts, stockings, a hat, mittens, and black silk handkerchiefs. This “standard” sailor uniform could easily be combined with things brought on board by a person when he entered the service, and many added more exotic and colorful items of clothing during their stay in foreign voyages.
The sailor's clothing was very characteristic, allowing you to immediately distinguish him from a person of another profession. They wore "shortened clothes" and land "long". On the shore, these were usually: a vest, a long jacket, reaching almost to the knees, worn over tight breeches and stockings. At the turn of the nineteenth century, seasoned sailors sported a short blue "boom freezer" jacket (woolen pea coat and vest) in cold weather and canvas clothes in warm climates with a red waistcoat, a plaid shirt, and a scarf or shawl tied loosely around the neck. Round hats were very popular, especially those made of straw, which were covered with resin in cold weather. Hats were usually decorated with the ship's name. On the shore, the sailors wore shoes, while on board, for work on the yards, the sailors were barefoot.

Figure 13. Sailor. Around 1790

Figure 14. Sailor. About 1828

Figure 15. Sailor. About 1862

These clothes were called "short" because they reached the waist or just below, leaving no dangling ends that would endanger a person climbing the yards. Instead of breeches, the sailors wore loose canvas pants, not at all like those worn on the shore. Sometimes these canvas pants were flared. All these items of clothing made sailors easily recognizable and anyone dressed in this way could be mistaken for a sailor. Sailors had a disdain for "land" clothing, and their formal attire was an improved and embellished version of the one in which they worked: white canvas trousers (instead of canvas), silver buckles on shoes, brass buttons on pea coats, colored braids near the seams and ribbons on hats.
On flagships or other ships with a wealthy captain, often the crews of the admiral's longboat had special uniforms that represented a particular ship (and gave importance to the officer being transported).
From June 1827, non-commissioned officers were allowed to wear patches indicating their rank: non-commissioned officers of the second rank had a white fabric anchor on their sleeves, non-commissioned officers of the first rank had the same anchor, but with a crown at the top. In 1857, sailors introduced patches worn on the left sleeve, which served to distinguish between senior and junior ranks. In 1859, the uniform of a non-commissioned officer was: a pea jacket, a waistcoat, trousers and a pointed hat.
Further changes during the Victorian period led to the sailors' uniform that exists today.

Marines

The Marine Corps, later the Royal Marines, dates back to 1664. Typically, recruiting for the Marine Corps proceeded in the same way as for the Army. The Marines provided the presence on the ships of units capable of fighting as infantry on land, allowed the crews of the guns to be manned, or the Marines acted as gunners in close combat. The Marine Corps uniform followed the trends of the Army Light Infantry uniform with minimal changes to adapt it to service on board, and although the Marines fought the same on land, their uniforms were not fully equipped for service on shore.

Figure 18. Officer of the Royal Marines. About 1805

Figure 19. Private of the Royal Marines. About 1845

On April 28, 1802, the Marines were renamed the Royal Marines, and in August 1804 the Royal Marines Artillery Corps was created, consisting of three divisions that have survived to this day (Chetham, Portsmouth and Plymouth, the fourth division was formed at Woolwich in 1805 year). The purpose of its creation was to replace the officers and sailors of the Royal Artillery in servicing the mortars and howitzers installed on bombardment ships, since their maintenance required more skill than conventional guns.

The rank formation system of the Royal Navy of Great Britain has a rich history and has had a significant impact on the formation of similar systems in other navies of the world. The leading role of the British Navy and increased attention to the phased training of personnel allowed the British model of the table of ranks to take one of the leading places in the world.

Historical information

Formation of the rank system

In the Royal Navy of Great Britain for a long time there was a mixed scale of ranks and positions. It included official ranks, positional and unofficial titles, as well as specializations. The crew of the ships was divided into officers, warrant officers (Eng. warrant officers) and sailors.

Epaulettes, headdress and sash of an 18th century Royal Navy officer.

Officers who received a license to hold a position from the Admiralty included a captain (eng. captain), Lieutenant lieutenant) and master (eng. master). The senior officers were commodores (eng. commodore) - commanders of the formation of ships, and flag officers (eng. flag officer), who had the right to their own flag: rear admirals, vice admirals, admirals and admirals of the Fleet (eng. fleet admiral) . The rank of admiral first appeared in the Royal Navy in 1297, and from the end of the 16th century the ranks of vice admiral and rear admiral were introduced. In addition to the usual admiral ranks, there are honorary ranks of Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom (eng. Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom ), Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom (Eng. Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom ), Lord High Admiral (Eng. Lord High Admiral), as well as the First Lord of the Admiralty (Eng. First Lord of the Admiralty), which performs the functions of command of all naval forces.

Warrant officers had patents (Eng. warrant) naval board (eng. Navy Board) or other government agencies, and, as a rule, led individual services on the ship. Warrant officers were divided into:

  • ordinary officers (English) Wardroom warrant officers): navigator, ship's surgeon, chaplain, treasurer. The ordinary officers were gentlemen and ate in the officer's wardroom (eng. wardroom). Later they were assigned to the officers.
  • conductors (English) standing warrant officers): boatswain, ship's carpenter, gunner, navigator, surgeon's assistant.
  • non-commissioned officers lower grade warrant officers): cook, sailing, weapons and rope masters, professionals, carpenter's assistants, mentors.

The formation of a unified system of ranks and insignia was facilitated by the appearance of the Naval Lists (Eng. navy list)). They contained data on the names, ranks, seniority, activity and position of all fleet officers, including those in the reserve.

Ranks, ranks and insignia in the 18th - early 19th centuries

Since the 16th century, the British Navy has introduced the division of the entire fleet into three squadrons: Blue (junior), White (middle) and Red (senior), with the corresponding admiral's flags. Thus, in total, 9 admiral posts were provided for in the fleet:

  • Admiral of the Fleet of the Red Squadron
  • Admiral of the White Squadron
  • Admiral of the Blue Squadron
  • Vice Admiral of the Red Squadron
  • Vice Admiral of the White Squadron
  • Vice Admiral of the Blue Squadron
  • Rear Admiral of the Red Squadron
  • Rear Admiral of the White Squadron
  • Rear Admiral of the Blue Squadron

The supreme command was carried out by the Admiral of the Fleet of the Red Squadron. For fleet admirals who did not have subordinate main squadrons, the rank of admiral of the fleet of the Yellow Squadron was introduced, and for port commanders - the rank of port admiral (eng. port admiral). Both additional admiral ranks did not entitle them to their own flag. Squadron gradations were formally abolished in 1815. For the duration of the command of the formation of ships, the commodores were given the right to raise a braided pennant.

Ranks in the second half of the 19th century

The reform of the rank system was carried out on April 11, 1856. Epaulettes and sleeve patches were officially approved as distinctive signs. The rank system of 1856 did not introduce fundamental changes to the tables of ranks, but they were systematized and the fleet received a single system that greatly simplified management. Differences were made regarding the length of service, and specializations were moved beyond ranks and ranks.

Young men from 1856 were accepted into the crews of young men no younger than 14 years old, who underwent special training in special educational institutions for 6-10 months. As a rule, cabin boys under 16 had 2nd class, over 16 - 1st class, and at the age of 18 they were awarded the title of sailor. Since 1956, instead of the title of cabin boy, the title of junior sailor (eng. Junior Seaman).

Ranks of the World Wars period

The appearance of complex mechanisms on ships required the presence of narrower qualified specialists in the crews. This caused an increase in the role of warrant officers, among whom were transferred boatswains, cooks, clerks, carpenters, chaplains and other narrow specialists who had a predetermined staff under their command. Occupying the position of a warrant officer required serious training, since the newly installed ship equipment required a significant amount of knowledge.

In 1913, special "Royal Instructions and Orders of the Admiralty" were developed, which regulated the training of specialists and their areas of specialization.

As new technologies emerged, the composition of the main services changed, but the principle of servicing technically complex devices by warrant officers remained unchanged.

Epaulets were officially abolished in 1939.

For female officers, there was their own rank scale:

  • Director, equivalent to Rear Admiral
  • Deputy Director equivalent to commodore 2nd class
  • Superintendent equivalent to captain
  • chief officer equivalent to commander
  • First Officer equivalent to lieutenant commander
  • Second Officer equivalent to lieutenant
  • Third officer equivalent to sub-lieutenant

On women's insignia, blue was used instead of gold.

Ranks and ranks of the Royal Navy of Great Britain

Currently, the ranks of the British Navy are unified with NATO standards.

The general administration of the Royal Navy is carried out by the Admiralty.

The training of personnel for the fleet is carried out in special educational institutions, which are financed and managed by the Admiralty.

Junior squad
Able Seaman Leading Rate Petty Officer Chief Petty Officer Warrant officer
Shoulder strap
Abbreviation AB cpl PO CPO WO1
NATO code OR-2 OR-4 OR-6 OR-7 OR-9
Officers
officer cadet Midshipman sub lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Commander Commander Captain Commodore rear admiral vice admiral Admiral Admiral of the Fleet
Shoulder strap
Chevron

Despite the difficulties and dangers, in England of the 17th-18th centuries, service in the navy was considered quite prestigious. There were several reasons for this. Among them - a good salary, even for sailors, social security, inaccessible to most of the inhabitants of that time the opportunity to visit distant countries. In addition, Royal Navy for a diligent and capable sailor could play the role of a social elevator, allowing, within certain limits, to move up the career ladder.

Benefits of bureaucracy

What is most important for studying the activities of a corporation? First of all, paper. Documentation, archives, warrants, orders, internal correspondence and so on. All that we usually contemptuously call "bureaucracy". It was the paper bureaucracy that was introduced into the Royal Navy in the 1660s by the new Secretary of State for the Navy, Samuel Peeps.

This does not mean that papers on the fleet did not exist before. They just weren't structured. Since the era of Pepys, every invoice or drawing must go to the archives of the Admiralty. And that is also why today's review begins in the 1660s, because without documents one would have to speculate about how, what and why it happened. Bureaucracy is great. But now is not about that.

In the article on wood, we talked about the construction of ships and their lifespan. Now let's talk about crews. After all, the main item of expenditure of the British naval department is salaries to personnel.

In 1668, Pepys begins to publish an annual Nautical List - Navy List(aka Naval Register), in fact - a report card for officers and sailors of the fleet. This yearbook publishes data on officers hired, on those dismissed or left for health reasons, on the dead, on half-pay. In general - all the statistical information on the officer corps. There is also information about reprimands and awards, promotions and demolitions, salary increases, fines and deductions.

It was not only a personnel record sheet from admirals to junior officers, but also a financial and biographical directory. The Naval List made the spending on financing the officers of the fleet absolutely transparent and understandable.

Later, all near-naval services were included in the directory - workers and clerks of state shipyards, the maritime department, the postal maritime service, etc. Now anyone could have complete data on Admiralty spending on personnel.

If you add up the costs of building and maintaining ships and spending on crew and command personnel, you can get a general picture of spending on the fleet over the years. Moreover, the picture is completely transparent, and, in case we are parliamentarians, amenable to our control. What was the problem with the fleets of the Spanish King Philip II, the French ruler Louis XIV, the Russian Tsar Peter I and other naval sovereigns-builders? Yes, complete opacity of spending for those who allocate this money! That is, huge sums are being spent, but for what? Is it right? Can these costs be optimized?

Page of the "Naval List" for 1916. This is how he looked

For the sake of fairness, we still note that under an absolute monarchy (with the possible exception of Philip II of Spain), such a Nautical List was needed only by the monarch himself. In England, however, a unique political system has developed - there those who made the decision to allocate money demanded control over the use of this money.

The marine list did a great job with one more function. This yearbook recorded for the sailors themselves the order of promotion and length of service. Thus, disputes about abuse along the way up the career ladder were practically eliminated.

As a result, archives, strict accounting of the strength and supply of crews slowly but surely turned the Royal Navy from a pseudo-regular military formation into a full-fledged state military corporation. Already by the 1720s Royal Navy was a state within a state. It included not only ships and crews, but also a gigantic number of service personnel, shipyards, real estate, land, supplies of provisions and spare parts. It was a branched structure, dealing not only with military affairs proper, but also with supply, procurement, development, research and development, construction, acquisition of goods, land, real estate, etc.

Royal Navy career ladder

How was a career built in the British Navy, and could a sailor (to paraphrase Napoleon here) carry an admiral's baton in his knapsack? By the way, in France, and later in Germany, admirals really had their own admiral's baton. There was no such practice in England, but I hope readers will forgive such an exaggeration.

Most often, boys got into the service, at the age of 10-12. Why did they go? At the forefront, of course, were economic reasons. The fact is that the salary of even the lower ranks in the British Navy was considered quite high - from 10 (cabin boy) to 24 (senior sailor) shillings per month. It was a lot of money - for example, a hatter in London in the same period of time earned about 10-12 shillings a month, that is, at the level of a cabin boy. Shoemaker - up to 15 shillings. The peasant earned 3–4 pounds a year (20 shillings in a pound, that is, only 5–7 shillings a month came out).

The incomes of cabin boys and sailors could not be compared with the salaries of cooks (2 pounds 2 shillings per month), boatswains (4 pounds) or navigators (6 pounds 6 shillings per month). Naturally, gentlemen officers received even more. True, in peacetime they sat on half the salary.

So, despite the cruel order and drill, the people in Royal Navy dragged on. Yes, in the merchant fleet it was possible to earn much more in certain seasons, but the armourers often deceived the sailors by paying the sums not in full (or not paying at all). And the very inconsistency of such earnings did not inspire thoughts of a stable income.

Naturally, this state of affairs did not apply to wartime. For those who were recruited with the help of "pressure", the lowest rates possible worked. But the main backbone of the military fleet, which was preserved even in peacetime, received a regular salary, and the amounts of monetary allowance were relatively large.

In addition, the work of a naval sailor was relatively easy, but this statement will not seem strange to our readers. Lord Howe wrote in 1793:

“If we introduce the measurement of “man-tons” (which is akin to population density) into maritime affairs, it turns out that for each sailor in the merchant fleet there are from 10 to 20 tons of displacement, on the ships of the East India Company - 15 tons per person, per warship - 2-3 tons of displacement per person. In other words, there are a lot of idlers on warships in their usual state. Indeed, after all, most of the crew on a warship is needed only in battle, in normal navigation or in the port you can get by with a much smaller number of people..

As Julius Cesar wrote in 1761,

« whether in peacetime or in wartime, the navy was a place for a sailor that provided a relatively easy and comfortable existence..

A typical sailor in the British Navy, 1740s

Well, do not forget about social security and benefits.

And this is food at public expense, and a device in case of injury in one of the marine hospitals. For these purposes, six pence (pence - 1/12 of a shilling) per month was deducted from the sailor's salary - something like paying the funded part to the pension fund today. And, of course, it's prize money. Yes, there have been delays in the payment of monetary allowances. But after Anson's reforms in 1757, it was established that when the ship was in home waters, this delay could not be more than two months, and if the ship was at some colonial station, then no more than six months. In general, service in the Royal Navy had visible advantages over other professions of the time.

Noting the monetary and social benefits, let's not forget about the romance of the sea, as well as the thirst for the unknown inherent in people. Here it would be appropriate to recall a well-known anecdote from the times of the late USSR:

"only in Rybalko's 3rd Guards Tank Army will you be able to visit cities such as Lvov, Sandomierz, Berlin and Prague, and at the expense of the state."

As Adam Smith wrote in his book An Inquiry into the Nature and reasons for wealth peoples»:

“lower-class mothers are often afraid to send their sons to schools located near the seaport, because the sight of the ships and the stories of the sailors may tempt them to escape to the fleet and go to sea”.

William Spevens, the son of a butcher who fled to the Navy at the age of 11, wrote in his memoirs:

“Before serving in the Navy, I thought that sailors should be happy people. They visit different countries, see other places, nature, visit even the most remote corners of the earth. I only thought about gentle storms, tropical beauties, easy money and successful voyages.”

Well, do not forget about one more fact. Discipline on merchant ships was very weak, or rather, it did not exist at all. Rebellions very often took place there, armators and customers periodically deceived their subordinates, did not pay them the money they earned, and people went to court for months in an attempt to sue at least something of their honestly earned money. So, very often the captains and even the Admiralty helped sailors who enlisted in the navy to win such courts and provided legal support.

There is a famous case when Robert Barker, a carpenter from Liverpool, not only did not receive his money, but was beaten by his employer so that he lost an eye. However, in 1758 the carpenter enlisted in the 74-gun Torbay commanded by Augustus Cappel. He proved to be an excellent sailor, the ship's officers provided Barker with all possible support. Upon his return to England, with the help of the officers, Robert won a lawsuit against his former employer and received 26 pounds in compensation for the beating, as well as all the money he had earned (about 4 more pounds). At the same time, the merchant, frightened by such powerful support, paid the money right in the courthouse, without waiting for the decision to be published in the newspapers. And this was far from an isolated case. As Admiral Harvey wrote:

“Our sailors are like stubborn children who do not know how to realize themselves, and the task of officers is to help them, cherish them, as a loving mother cherishes a firstborn child, for the honor and good of the nation”.

The sailors were a real, even self-contained caste, isolated from most of their compatriots. They even lived on the shore in a certain "Pale of Settlement" coastal cities spoke their own language, and this caste and closeness for many was also one of the attractive features of service on ships.

From cabin boy to sub-officer

So, what was the hierarchy on the warship? Here we will consider the hierarchy of the 1760s-1790s, since it was by this time that it had developed into a uniform structure. First of all, one must clearly distinguish "gentlemen"(from noble families) and "ungentlemen"(Natives of working-class families or raznochintsy), because their rights and obligations were completely different.


Rest on the lower deck, 1740s. Judging by the presence of women and maps, somewhere in the port

In the 18th century, "ungentlemen", that is, professional sailors of ignoble origin, were called Tarpaulins (tarpaulins), because of the canvas cloaks used by sailors. Boys - "ungentlemen" who came to the ships, initially received positions jung, or boys (boy). Jung on board was the lowest echelon. He was a servant, helped the cook in the dining room, was engaged in washing dishes, darning uniforms, etc. In battle, the yoongi performed the role of "powder monkeys" (powder monkey), that is, they scattered gunpowder for guns in bags under the supervision of higher-ranking sailors and brought caps with gunpowder to the guns.

Yoongi "gentlemen" (young gentlemen) were, rather, students undergoing industrial practice on the ship, in order, having gained experience, to become midshipmen ( midshipmen). They, of course, were not used as servants, in navigation they were most often on the upper deck along with midshipmen, learning to work with an astrolabe and a chronometer. And in battle they could even command a gun crew.

The British did not have naval schools until 1733. It was then that the Royal Naval Academy was founded in Portsmouth ( Royal Naval Academy), where the first 40 recruits came. It's funny, but even in "wild" Russia, the Maritime Academy was created 18 years earlier.

The study plan was an alternation of natural disciplines with the acquisition of practical knowledge. The term of study was 2 years. In order to stimulate admission to the academy, its Charter stipulated that graduates could take an exam for the rank of lieutenant after 4, and not after 6 years of practical voyages. However, in England there was some kind of mystical belief in the superiority of practical experience over theoretical knowledge. Until 1806, the Royal Naval Academy eked out a miserable existence - most gentry and gentlemen preferred to give their undergrowths directly to the ships. The apotheosis of the current situation was the words of the English King William IV:

"no place is more suitable for raising a real gentleman from a little Brit than the poop of a warship".

Thus, until the middle of the 19th century (that is, before the advent of armored fleets and machines), in England they did not attach much importance to naval education, preferring practice to it.

Let's move on from the cabin crew to the sailors. If they did not come to the ship at a young age, then initially the position was the lowest step "landsman" (landsman, "land man"). A "Landsman" was any sailor with less than a year of service. They were used mainly in unskilled manual labor.

"Landsman", if he did not die or die from diseases, did not fall overboard, etc., could grow to "ordinary sailor" (ordinary Seaman, sailor with 1 to 3 years sailing experience). It was also menial, unskilled work, but more responsible - painting the hull and masts, splicing cables, loading safe cargo, lowering and raising boats, etc.


Royal Navy sailors against the Barbary pirates at

Those who had more than 3 years of sailing experience became sailors (able Seaman). They could already keep watch, stand at the helm, carry out repair work under the guidance of a carpenter or boatswain. These included categories such as carpenter team (carpenter's crew), gunnery (gunsmith), responsible for the upkeep of the four cannons (quarter gunner). Initially, gun crews were divided into "fours". This was very convenient, since in the past different types of guns were served by crews that were multiples of four. A little later, this rule ceased to apply, 32-pound guns were served by a crew of 14 people, 24-pound guns - 12 people, 18-pound guns - 11 people. The 12- and 9-pounders were manned by crews of eight and six, respectively. However, the name quarter gunner remained and meant the head of the gun crew, dealing with the maintenance and operation of guns.

  • assistant quartermaster;
  • assistant sailing master;
  • carpenter's assistant;
  • caulker's assistant;
  • boatswain's mate;
  • assistant gunner;
  • gunsmith's assistant;
  • corporal;
  • watchman(watch captain);
  • cooper;
  • quartermaster;
  • steering;
  • foreman(yeoman);
  • sailing master;
  • chief foreman(master- at- arms, initially a gunsmith responsible for storing and issuing weapons and ammunition, then became simply the head of the foremen);
  • caulker;
  • cable car(ropemaker);
  • gunsmith(just this is the person responsible for storing and issuing weapons).

In principle, if there was diligence for the service, luck and learning ability, our "landsman" could rise to sub-officer positions - this, depending on specialization, a carpenter, boatswain or gunnery. It is these positions at the level of ensign or warrant officer, made up the elite of the "lower deck", being junior non-commissioned officers.

"Gentlemen" in conversation called them "cockpit sub-officer" (cockpit mate), because, unlike the sailors, their living quarters were located in the cockpit - a room located on the lower deck in the stern of the ship. This cockpit should not be confused with the cockpit of modern yachts, boats, etc., which is an open, closed space at the top. By the way, in England, urban areas were also called cockpits, in which the poor, thieves, prostitutes lived, in a word - the dregs of society.

By the way, in the same category of sub-officer positions were also ranked assistant midshipmen (midshipman's mate), assistant navigators (master’ s mate) and surgical assistants (surgeon's mate). Initially, assistant navigators were recruited from sailors, but by the middle of the 18th century this position was occupied by one of the midshipmen, who was preparing to take the exam for a lieutenant. He helped the ship's navigator ( master) steer the ship, keep the course, raise the right sails, report problems with the masts or sails, etc.

Young "gentlemen" most often immediately became midshipmen's assistants, and then - midshipmen, that is, their career went much faster than that of ordinary inhabitants of the lower deck.

In 1753, on ships of III rank and above, the position second navigator, since the management of 74-gun and larger ships was considered quite difficult, and the navigator and assistants could no longer cope with their duties.

Next came "patent officers" (warrant officers). This category of officers of the British Navy of the late 17th - early 19th centuries included specialists who differed greatly both in position in the naval hierarchy and in the functions performed. What they had in common was that they received a patent ( warrant) to the right to hold a position not from the Admiralty (as royal officers), but from the Naval Council ( Navy Board). Each of them led the corresponding unit, or service.

These officers were already equated with "gentlemen" ( commissioned officers) and ate in the officer's wardroom ( wardroom).

Royal Navy officer, late 18th century

Navigator (master ) to obtain his patent, he passed an exam at Trinity House, a British pilot and pilot corporation. There were several paths to this position. One of them is a promotion from the lower ranks, when a sailor learned the art of navigation as a quartermaster and sub-navigator. Also, those midshipmen who lost hope for a lieutenant's patent or preferred a titmouse in their hands to a crane in the sky became navigators. Finally, captains or assistants of the merchant fleet went to navigators.

The navigator was responsible for navigation and navigational instruments, placement and stowage of ballast, cargo and supplies (i.e. landing of the vessel), supervised - through senior helmsmen (quartermasters) subordinate to him - the state of provisions, sails, anchors, etc.

The position of the navigator in the ship's hierarchy was rather ambiguous. On the one hand, formally in the command ladder, he followed the junior lieutenant. This meant that when the captain failed, command of the ship was transferred to the first lieutenant, then to the second, and so on, and only after the failure of all line officers, the navigator could take command of the ship. On the other hand, the function he performed was very important, which was reflected, for example, in his living conditions (the navigator's cabin was the same as that of the first lieutenant). Also, the monetary allowance he received on most ships was more than that of lieutenants, and only on frigates of the sixth rank - less (data for the second half of the 18th - early 19th centuries). Since the Middle Ages, the navigator was the first assistant to the captain, only in the middle of the 17th century he became lower than the lieutenant (then the only one). In the Anglo-Dutch wars, there were cases when the navigator of a distinguished ship received a command post.

surgeons, as a rule, did not have a medical education and learned their craft through apprenticeships. They received a patent after passing an oral exam at the college for the sick and wounded ( The Sick and Hurt Board).

bataler (Purser ) was appointed by the naval college from among those who served as captain's secretary ( clerk) for at least a year or in the flag officer's secretariat for at least one and a half years. But this provision was often violated, and batalers were appointed under patronage.

The bataler was in charge of monetary, clothing and food allowances. Due to the fact that he was entrusted with significant values, he had to pay a solid deposit before obtaining a patent. This was somewhat reminiscent of the system for buying officers' patents in the British Army (a naval officer's patent could not be purchased for money). The salaries of treasurers were quite low, at the level of a boatswain, but they were entitled to profit from savings in purchases (the difference between the fixed price, based on which the Admiralty allocated funds, and the actual purchase price). In this regard, the battalions were usually suspected of fraud by the crews, often rightly so. Although there were occasional bankruptcies of treasurers, it was mostly a profitable business.

Chaplain was appointed by the relevant church institution with a patent from the Naval College. Until the end of the 18th century, the chaplain received a small salary, at the level of a sailor of the 1st article, and his status as a patent officer was doubtful. There were few among the clergy who wanted to take this position, so few ships (mostly senior ranks) had them on board. But by the 1790s, their allowance was increased, and the position as patent officers was strengthened.

Also received a patent conductors(boatswain, carpenter and chief gunner).

A prerequisite for the conductors (however, as for all specialists) was the presence of a certain level of literacy - the ability to read, write and knowledge of arithmetic.

Boatswain usually came from the lower ranks, and his appointment was not accompanied by passing a special exam, but occurred on the proposal of the captain or flag officer. His duties included caring for rigging, sails, receiving and maintaining cables, sails and other sub-skipper's property, compiling reports on the safety and movement of this property, securing deck and hold property, working with anchors, boats, etc. He obeyed sailing master (sailmaker) and roper (ropemaker). Another duty of the boatswain, better known to the general public, was to maintain discipline among the lower ranks and organize deck work. In this he was assisted by his direct assistants - boatswain mats.

Modern reenactor in the uniform of midshipman Royal Nevi model 1790

A carpenter(or timmerman) unlike the boatswain, he underwent preliminary training on the shore as an apprentice with shipbuilders at royal or private shipyards, and also had to serve on board for at least six months as an assistant to the timmerman. After that, presenting a certificate of apprenticeship and a testimonial from the vessel about "good behavior", he could apply for a patent from the Naval Board. Timmerman's main responsibility was the hull of the ship. Under his command was a rather large team, up to ten people on a large ship, which carried out regular inspection, maintenance and repair of the hull, masts, topmasts and yards, and also did ordinary carpentry work. Like the boatswain, the carpenter was in charge of the property for which he was financially and disciplinaryly responsible.

Chief Commander (gunner) was responsible for the material part of the guns and their accessories, including gun carriages, cannonballs, bombs, powder magazines, etc. To obtain a patent, he had to pass an exam at the Collegium of Artillery and Technical Supply ( Ordnance Board), which is often violated in practice. In the middle of the 17th century, the position of the chief gunner in the ship's hierarchy was quite high, he was a member of the officer's wardroom. But with the Restoration, his position gradually changed to that of a conductor.

Subordinate to the chief gunner was a rather large team, consisting of one or two assistant gunners, a weapons master ( armorer) and the commanders of the "fours" ( quarter gunners).

Teacher(Schoolmaster) passed the Trinity House exam for knowledge of navigation and mathematics. He not only taught these disciplines to midshipmen, but often taught them to read and write. Initially, his salary consisted of deductions from midshipmen, then a sailor's rate was added to them, and at the beginning of the 19th century he became the highest of all the salaries of non-commissioned officers.

junior officers represented midshipmen ( midshipman), chaplain, surgeon, batalers, navigator, and since 1800 and sub-lieutenants. The latter could command small ships without the rank of lieutenant and without defending the exam for a lieutenant position.

It is worth noting that from the lower deck it was possible to break out into junior officers, up to the boatswain or even up to the navigator, inclusive.

Some more beneficent bureaucracy

Those who wanted to become senior midshipmen and sub-officers were waiting for a test - passing an exam. This innovation was introduced in 1677 when Samuel Pepys decided to introduce aptitude tests for any senior rank. Before introducing the tests officially, Pepys tested them on the commander of the fleet, for a moment - the brother of the king, the Duke of York, and found out that the brother of the king actually knows nothing about maritime affairs.

But Yakov turned out to be a great clever one, did not scold Pips, but approved from May 1677 the compulsory oral testing of lieutenants in two subjects - navigation and mathematics.

Oh what a start!

Until the reign of Charles II, the aristocracy usually went to serve in the army. After the Restoration, James of York and Prince Rupert of the Palatinate introduced the navy into fashion. And here are the exams! But Peeps didn't stop there. We have already mentioned patented officers above, here we will bring this information together.

The ship's surgeons were scheduled for testing before being assigned to the ship. It turned out that many of them are ready to treat "matzo with bat liver and the blood of a Mongolian virgin", but absolutely do not know how to apply a tourniquet or bleed!


Lieutenants of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, a frame from the series about Hornblower

In order to somehow reduce dissatisfaction, Pepys did the following thing - experienced captains and (optionally) admirals examined the applicant for the rank of lieutenant.

After the exam, applicants received a patent for the position, this patent served as the basis for receiving salaries and publication in the Marine List.

pinnacle of career

After passing the exam and becoming a lieutenant, the young man got the opportunity sooner or later to become a captain. And here comes the title master and commander. Initially, it was an intermediate position between lieutenant and captain. In fact, it was a lieutenant who commanded an out-of-rank ship (until 1747 - a ship of rank 6 and below) and performed the duties of a navigator in one person ( master) and commander ( commander). It was believed that these ships did not need a navigator, it was too fat, so the commanders and navigators were on them, as they say, “two in one”.

Lieutenants (including Marines) and captains made up the officers on board the ship. The officers dined in the wardroom, the captain - in his cabin, but could be invited by the officers for a joint feast in the wardroom.

As a particular example, let's consider the crew of a battleship HMS « Victory» in 1805. The total number of seafarers on board is 821 people. This is the captain - Thomas Hardy, 9 officers, 21 midshipmen, 77 "cockpit sub-officers", 11 officers of the marines (one captain, two lieutenants and ensigns), 135 marines and 536 sailors. The last number included "ordinary sailors", "landmen", etc., and in addition - 31 "boys" - cabin boys.

If a lieutenant became a captain, then sooner or later, according to the qualification and promotion at the expense of the dead, he could grow up to rear admiral, then to vice admiral, and then to admiral.

Since 1702, only three squadrons officially existed in England - White, Blue and Red. In turn, each of them was divided into the vanguard, rearguard and center. Historically, since the time of the Anglo-Dutch wars, the White Squadron was the vanguard, the Red squadron was the center, the Blue rearguard. In turn, the first division of the White Squadron was considered the vanguard of the White Squadron, the second - the center, the third - the rearguard. In the same way, squadrons and other flags were divided into divisions.

Each of these divisions was commanded by admirals. There were nine in total, so there were nine admirals. Thus, in the fleet there was only nine(!!!) vacancies for admirals - three rear admirals, three admirals and three vice admirals, which differed in the colors of the flag. Accordingly, the "bottleneck" through which a captain could slip through to become an admiral was extremely narrow. An additional complication was introduced by the fact that a person who received the rank of admiral simply could not be fired from the fleet. As a result, decrepit old men who fell into insanity did not allow capable captains to move up the career ladder.


Probably the most famous master and commander we have is Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey

In 1748, the then head of the Admiralty, George Anson, did not have the heart to take a swing at this tradition. However, he acted quite cunningly - the decrepit admirals, who did not want to quit, received magnificent positions without real influence on the affairs of the fleet, and young capable people came to the high command. It was thanks to Anson that Hawk, Boscowen, Knowles, Townsend received the admiral ranks. As a result, by 1748 in Britain there were already 8 admirals, 10 vice admirals and 9 rear admirals.

The mechanism for increasing the number of admirals was simple. The ranks of "admirals without distinction by squadron" were introduced. (Admiral without distinction of squadron), who in the fleet a little later were ironically called "yellow admirals" ( admiral of the Yellow): the yellow flag was most often raised during quarantine. Such admirals could be budding captains, waiting in line for the admiral's position according to seniority, or just already decrepit admirals transferred to representative positions.

Here is the dynamics of the number of admirals in England in different years:

The system, however, remained completely inflexible. It was impossible to overtake those who were ahead of the list, no matter what talents or merit. However, this circumstance did not prevent the Admiralty, if necessary, from finding a capable captain or admiral at the bottom of the list, so that he would lead the squadron or fleet. The main problem was the programmed promotion of incapable post-captains to admirals according to the principle of priority, without the possibility of somehow slowing down or challenging this promotion.

In addition, in the English fleet there was the position of commodore, that is, a captain who received an admiral's position (but not a rank!) For a campaign or military campaign. At the same time, the commodore commanded both his ship (that is, he retained the position of captain) and the forces attached to him. According to the results of the campaign or operation, the commodore could either return to the post of captain, or, if seniority was still suitable, become a rear admiral.

In 1618, the British introduced a division into 4 ranks for large ships: Ships Royal - royal ships armed with 42-55 guns, Great Ships - "large ships" with 38-40 guns, Middling Ships - "medium ships" with 30-32 guns , Small ships - “small ships”, later they became frigates, carried at least 30 guns. This division initially had completely prosaic goals - on large ships, the salary of sailors and officers was higher. This classification changed several times, in 1650 it was as follows: ships of the 1st rank carried 40-80 guns and had a crew of 350-600 people. Ships of rank II carried from 40 to 48 guns and had a crew of 200 to 300 sailors. Ships of III rank - 30-34 guns, 120-200 people, IV rank - from 14 to 25 guns, from 100 to 110 people. The "rank" of the ship depended not only on the number of crews and the number of guns, but also on the caliber of the guns. In the list of the Lord Admiral on March 1, 1652, the ships were classified as follows: I rank - 60-100 guns, 300-600 people, II rank - 52-60 guns, 260-280 people, III rank - 40-50 guns, 180 -200 sailors, IV rank - 30-40 guns, 120-150 people, V rank - 18-24 guns, 60-90 people and VI rank -10-12 guns, 25-50 sailors.

Already during the time of Elizabeth, the British developed a new type of ship - a striking example of this is the "fast galleon" "Rivenge", created by the royal ship's master Matthew Baker, from which all superstructures and turrets were removed, the hull was narrowed (length to width ratio - 3.5: 1) , and put a large number of guns. Walter Reilly, corsair of Her Majesty Elizabeth, in his book "The Lord of the World", written while imprisoned in the Tower, formulated the rules for the ships of the future:

1) the length of the ship along the keel (the length along the waterline was several meters longer due to the rise of the bow) should be equal to three widths, and the width to three drafts, counting the latter no more than 5 m;

2) heavy superstructures, although they contribute to the beauty of the ship, but, as overloading it and impairing maneuverability, should be reduced.

3) large ships should have 3 decks, of which the lower one should be 0.6 m above the waterline so that the lower battery of guns can operate when the sea is rough;

4) the decks must be continuous and not interrupted by cabin bulkheads, so as not to reduce the strength of the ship.

In the first quarter of the 17th century, several families of hereditary shipbuilders competed in England, among which, of course, the Deans, Bakers and Petts stood out. It was Phineas and Peter Pett who built a new type of military sailing vessel - the battleship.

In 1610, the 55-gun ship Prince Royal with a displacement of 1200 tons was launched at the royal shipyard in Woolwich. It differed from its predecessors in that it had three artillery decks - lower, middle and upper. The ship carried heavy guns on the lower deck, and only light guns on the middle deck, upper deck and quarterdeck. The length of the ship was 115 feet, beam - 43.6 feet, draft - 18 feet, the ship had four masts, the first two carried direct sails, and the second two were latin. This layout was considered redundant, the fourth mast was soon removed, so the classic sailing armament of the “ship” type appeared.

In 1637, in the same Woolwich, another unique sailing vessel was launched - the 102-gun Sovereign of the Seas. It is he who is called the first real battleship in history. The ship measured 127 x 46.6 feet, had three gun decks, and had a draft of 19 feet 4 inches. The displacement of the new battleship was 1522 tons. The placement of the cannons was as follows: on the lower deck - 30 cannons (cannons and semi-cannons), on the middle deck - the same number (culverins and semi-culverins), on the upper deck - 26 cannons of a smaller caliber; in addition, there are 14 cannons under the forecastle, 12 under the poop and many embrasures in superstructures for handguns. The total number of guns on this ship was 126. The ship had 11 anchors with matching anchor lines; the largest anchor weighed 4,400 pounds. The total cost to build and equip the new ship was £26,177.

The son of Finneas, Peter Pett, in 1645 built the first "true" frigate - the 32-gun Constant Warwick, which had the same sailing armament as the Sovereign, but its guns were located on the same artillery deck. According to the developers, such ships were supposed to play the role of scouts as part of a squadron of battleships, as well as escort trade caravans. The dimensions of the ship: displacement - 315.5 tons, length - 85 feet, width - 26.5 feet, draft - 13.2 feet, on the artillery deck there were 12 culverins, 12 semi-culverins and 10 small guns. In his likeness, a whole series of frigates was ordered, many of which were built by 1651.

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