MASTER, in the roy-al navy, was an officer ranking with, but junior to, limits., and charged with the details of sailing the vessel, under the general orders of the capt. In recent years the title has been changed to " navigating lieut.:" the change of name carrying, in several particulars, an improved status. It is his duty to take charge of such of the ship's stores as are not under the pay-master; in short, he is the navigator and storekeeper for the vessel; as such, holding a most responsible and onerous position. For his assistants, he has the junior officers in his own department—the navigating sub lieuts., navigating midshipmen, and navigating cadets--and the ship's quartermas ters. The full pay of a navigating lieut., exclusive of store and other allowances, ranges from 12s. to 22s. a day; of a navigating sublieut, from 5s. to 7s. 6d.; and'Of a iliavigating midshipman, from 3s. to 4s. a. day; while as alpha and omega, the staff-cap tain has 22s. a day; and the navigating cadet, ls. a day- (which is, of course, meant merely for pocket-money).
In the merchant navy, the master of a vessel, usually by courtesy. denominated the captain, is the officer commanding her. His duties comprise the maintenance of disci
pline, the sailing of the ship, the charge of her cargo, and many other mercantile func tions. His responsibilities to the ship's owners are of course settled by distinct agree ment, applicable to the special case. Towards the public, however, many acts of par liament determine his responsibility. The master is bound to come to a written agree ment with each of his men, before sailing, as to the wages to be paid. He is bound to bring home and subsist (to the number of 4 for every 10 tons), seafaring persons—Brit ish subjects—who may have been cast away, captured by the enemy, or by other unavoidable accident left upon a foreign shore; for these he is granted head-money by the admiralty. The master is compelled to keep a proper log-book, and must produce it, with his ship's papers, on the requisition of the commander of a ship-of-war of his own nation. Mastem of vessels of a certain size are required to obtain certificates of qualifi cation from the board of trade. Certificated masters are eligible for the Royal, Nava", RESERITFI (q.v.), with the rank of lieutenant.