NAVY, the fleet or shipping of a prince or state.
The management of the British navy royal, under the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, is entrusted to' principal officers and commissioners of the navy, who hold their places by patent. The principal officers of the navy are four ; viz. The Treasurer, whose buoness it is to receive money out of the exchequer, and to pay all the charges of the navy, by warrant from the principal officers : Comptroller, who attends and comptrols all payment of wages, is to know the rates of stores, to examine and audit all accounts, &c. Surveyor, who is is know the states of all stores, and see wants supplied, to estimate repairs, charge boat-swains, &c. with what stores they re ceive, and at the end of each voyage to Mate and audit accounts : Clerk of the Acts, whose business it is to record all orders, contracts, bills, warrants, &c.
The Commissioners of the navy are five; the first executes that part of the Comptroller's duty which relates to the comptrolling the Victualler's accounts; the second another part of the said Comp troller's duty, relating to the account of the store-keepers of the yard: the third has the direction of the navy at the port of Portsmouth ; the fourth has the same at Chatham ; and the fifth at Plymouth.
There are also other Commissioners at large, the number more or less, accord ing to the exigencies of public affairs; and since the increase of the royal navy, these have several clerks under them, with salaries allowed by the king.
The victualling of the royal navy had formerly been undertaken by contract, but is now managed by Commissioners, who hold their office at Somerset-House Strand.