LOWER-DELMARVA-ROOTS-L Archives

From: "craig o'donnell" <>
Subject: Master
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2004 07:55:40 -0500
References: <200412122000.iBCK0WK8024959@lists5.rootsweb.com>
In-Reply-To: <200412122000.iBCK0WK8024959@lists5.rootsweb.com>

><x-flowed>I believe captain is a later term applied to the person in
>overall charge of
>running the ship. It is still the title for the "captain" of a merchant
>vessel. Even naval vessels at one time had masters, or sailing masters, who
>were quite often civilians, even though the vessel was under the operational
>control of a captain or other officer rank. The captain directed the master
>where to maneuver the vessel, but not neccessarily how to do it, while the
>captain directed the combat functions of the vessel. At some point,
>probably with the adoption of steam power, the navigation of naval vessels
>fell to naval officers in most cases.

Around the time of the Spanish Armada, the "master" was the guy who
directed the sailing of the ship (and could well be the owner, or the
owner's employee) while the "captain" was the military commander. Remember
that in Elizabethan times all ships were subject to the "draft" in times of
war.

In the 1700s in small ships the sailing master and the captain were often
the same guy. In large ships the Master was a warrant officer (not a
civilian, but also not technically a naval officer).

The famous Capt Cook came up in an unusual way, as a warrant officer and
master before being promoted to command. More usually it was
Midshipman-Lt-"Master and Commander"- Post Captain. Post capt's were
"tenured" & on track to become admirals if they lived long enough.

An analogy in the modern navy is the ship's captain and the executive
officer, though it is not a close parallel anymore.

In merchant ships there typically was not a separate function for "captain"
and "master".
--
Craig O'Donnell
Sinepuxent Ancestors & Boats
<http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~fassitt/>;
The Proa FAQ <http://boat-links.com/proafaq.html>;
The Cheap Pages <http://www.friend.ly.net/~dadadata/>;
Sailing Canoes, Polytarp Sails, Bamboo, Chinese Junks,
American Proas, the Bolger Boat Honor Roll,
Plywood Boats, Bamboo Rafts, &c.
_________________________________

-- Professor of Boatology -- Junkomologist
-- Macintosh kinda guy
Friend of Wanda the Wonder Cat, 1991-1997.
_________________________________

This thread:

• Master by "craig o'donnell" <>