Master ( naval ) The master , or sailing master , was a historic term for a naval officer trained in and responsible for the navigation of a sailing vessel . The rank can be equated to a professional seaman and specialist in navigation , rather than as a military commander . In the British Royal Navy , the master was a rank of warrant officer who ranked with , but after , the lieutenants and was eventually renamed to navigating lieutenant in 1867 . When the United States Navy was formed in 1794 , master was listed as one of the warrant officer ranks and ranked between midshipmen and lieutenants . The rank was also a commissioned officer rank from 1837 until it was replaced with the current rank of Lieutenant , Junior Grade in 1883 . Royal Navy . Originally in the Royal Navy , the ranks of captain and lieutenant came from the Army , and these officers were commissioned by the King to command the military force aboard a ship during wartime . There were no permanent ships in the Royal Navy , instead merchant ships were commandeered by the Navy along with their officers and crew . The sailing master was in charge of the ship , and he was assisted by his mates , the master ' s mate s . When the ship was not being used by the Navy , the master was in command of the ship . Over time , the Navy developed a permanent force of ships , and the commissioned officers received training in navigation as well as military discipline . During the Age of Sail , the sailing master in the Royal Navy became the warrant officer trained specifically in navigation , was the senior warrant officer rank , and was the second most important officer aboard rated ships . The Master ate in the wardroom with the other officers , had a large cabin in the gunroom , and had a smaller day cabin next to the captain ' s cabin on the quarterdeck for charts and navigation equipment . Promotion . Masters were promoted from the rank of the master ' s mate s , quartermaster s , or midshipmen . Masters were also recruited from the merchant service . A prospective master had to pass an oral examination before a senior captain and three masters at Trinity House . After passing the examination , they would be eligible to receive a warrant from the Board of Admiralty , but promotion was not automatic . Uniforms . Originally , the sailing master did not have an official officer uniform , which caused problems when they were captured because they had trouble convincing their captors they should be treated as officers and not ordinary sailors . In 1787 the warrant officers of wardroom rank ( master , purser and surgeon ) received an official uniform , but it did not distinguish them by rank . In 1807 , Masters , along with pursers , received their own uniform . Duties . The master ’ s main duty was navigation , taking ship ’ s position daily and setting the sails as appropriate for the required course . During combat , he was stationed on the quarterdeck , next to the captain . The master was responsible for fitting out the ship , and making sure they had all the sailing supplies necessary for the voyage . The master also was in charge of stowing the hold and ensuring the ship was not too weighted down to sail effectively . The master , through his subordinates , hoisted and lowered the anchor , docked and undocked the ship , and inspected the ship daily for problems with the anchors , sails , masts , ropes , or pulleys . Issues were brought to the attention of the master , who would notify the captain . The master was in charge of the entry of parts of the official log such as weather , position , and expenditures . Second master . Second master was a rating introduced in 1753 that indicated a deputy master on a 1st , 2nd or 3rd rate ship - of - the - line . A second master was generally a master ' s mate who had passed his examination for master and was deemed worthy of being master of a vessel . Master ' s mates would act as Second Master of vessels too small to be allocated a warranted Master . Second masters were paid significantly more than master ' s mates , £5 5s per month . Second masters were given the first opportunity for master vacancies as they occurred . Transition to commissioned officer . In 1808 , master acknowledged as having similar status to commissioned officers , and their title was changed to Warrant Officer of Wardroom Rank . In 1843 , the master was formally granted commissioned status as a lieutenant . In 1867 , master was renamed navigating - lieutenant , and at the same time second master was renamed navigating sub - lieutenant . United States Navy . Master , originally sailing master , was a historic warrant officer rank of the United States Navy , above that of a midshipman , after 1819 passed midshipman , after 1861 ensign , and below a lieutenant . Some masters were appointed to command ships , with the rank of master commandant . In 1837 , sailing master was renamed master , master commandant was renamed commander , and some masters were commissioned as officers , formally " Master in line for Promotion " to distinguish them from the warrant masters who would not be promoted . After 1855 , passed midshipmen who were graduates of the Naval Academy filled the positions of master . Both the commissioned officer rank of master and warrant officer rank of master were maintained until both were merged into the current rank of Lieutenant , Junior Grade on March 3 , 1883 . In 1862 the Masters wore a gold bar for rank insignia , which became a silver bar in 1877 . In 1881 they started wearing their current sleeve stripes of one one - half - inch and one one - quarter - inch wide strips of gold lace .