Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
Rank in the Navy

A S we all know, the President is Commander
~ in-Chief of the land and sea forces; but
how he came by the latter title is probably
not known to everyone. 1t dates back
long before the Revolution to a source which
one would be unlikely to suspect. In fact,
it may be traced to King James II.
1t that monarch's faults were many, he at
any rate possessed the virtue of being sincere
in his desire to improve the British navy.
When Duke of York, his interest in and knowl-
edge of matters pertaining to the sea forces
were SO marked that he was appointed Lord
High Admiral of England. In this title he
took such. pride that he retained it when he
assembled the throne. He was thus the first
British monarch to declare himself Commander
ln-Chief of the forces, a title retained by
his successors ever since.
So, when in the course of time the American
Colonies achieved independence that office
with other prerogatives passed from King
George III. to the President of the new Amer
lean Republic, and was confirmed upon him by
Congress, and held by those following, even if
the majority of them knew little about things
marine.
In this connection it is curious to trace how
the other commanders of our sea forces, the
admrals, came by their distinction. When
we look at the reproduction of an old print
depicting war-ship of the Middle Ages, we
observe that, while the oars were piled or sails
trimmed by sailors who were practically slaves,
the fighting men stood to their arms as if
they had no concern with the navigation of
the ship. At that period the fighting men of
a war-vessel were merely soldiers at sea
Their senior officer was much in the posi-
ton of the average owner of a present-day
yacht, to give general directions to the mas
ter what point he would like to make but
knowing little or nothing about the handling
of a ship In fact, all such work he considered
as beneath his dignity. To him the oppor-
tunity came when boarding was to be effected
or a landing made some hostile shore.
When not actually engaged in sea warfare
he returned to land, leaving the ship to the
care of those who were not fighting men. AS,
however, he gained a sea-hghting reputation,
he was naturally employed in any such emer-
gency; and hence we have the origin of our
naval rank of admiral.
Almost up to the advent of steam power,
the admlrals, captains and lieutenants con-
sidered it their principal business to attend to
the discharging of broadsides in advantageous
positions, and affected degree of contempt
for the routine of ship work. Thus it IS prob
able that than one gallant officer of the
early American navy would have been harder
put to pass examination in navigation than
the fighting officers of to-day for position in
the engine-room.
From the sea soldier, however it must not
be presumed comes that amphibious being,
the marine. His origin is of much later date.
He appeared on board ship when it was the
custom to press men into the sea service of
their country much against their inclination
gathering in the indiscriminate haul the bad
characters of slurn and highway. A crew COM
posed of these elements was likely to mutiny
at the first opportunity; so military guard
was stationed amidships to overawe the crew
rather than for use against an enemy. Hence
the marine