RANK, in the army and navy, is officially described.as °that character or quality bestowed on military parsons which marks. their station and confers 'eligibility •to exercise command or authority in the 'military service within the limits prescribed by law.* It is divided into degrees or grades. which mark the relative posi tions and powers of the different classes pos sessing it. Rank is generally held by virtue of office in an arm of the service, corps or depart ment, but may be conferred independently of office, as in the case of retired officers and of those holding it by brevet. While the Presi dent of the United States is technically com mander-in-chief, the highest rank in the Ameri can army is general; in the navy, admiral. Next to general is lieutenant-general, then major-general and next brigadier-general. In time of peace the highest army officer is usually a major-general, the titles of general and lieu tenant-general being bestowed only as marks Of special distinction. The same conditions apply to the ranks of admiral and vice-ad miral. Until 1917 there had been only four fulls generals in the American army—Wash ington, Grant, Sherman and Sheridan; and three ((full') admirals in the navy— Farragut, David Porter and Dewey. The title of general lapsed with the death of Sheridan in 1888, and under the law of 1911 the rank of admiral ceased on the death of Dewey, 16 Jan. 1917. Besides the four generals mentioned, the rank of lieutenant-general has been held also by J. M. Scofield, Nelson A. Miles, S. B. M. Young, A. R. Chaffee, John C. Bates, H. C. Corbin, A. McArthur and Winfield Scott (brevet). By act of Congress, 22 May 1917, provision was made for the appointment of three admirals and three vice-admirals; and another act, 6 Oct. 1917, revived the title of general for two officers, namely, the chief of staff and the commander of tte- United States forces in France. The application of both
statutes, however, extends to the existing emergency only" — the European \Var, the ob ject being to place the American war chiefs on a rank level with that existing among the allied naval and military forces. The relative rank between officers of the army and navy is as follows, lineal rank only being considered General with admiral; lieutenant-general with vice-admiral; major-general with rear-admiral; brigadier-general with commodore (the latter grade ceased to exist in the United States navy 3 March 1899) ; colonel with captain; lieutenant-colonel with commander; major with lieutenant-commander; captain with lieutenant; first lieutenant with lieutenant (junior grade), and second lieutenant with ensign. An Ameri can general wears on his uniform the United States coat of arms and two silver stars; a lieutenant-general, one large silver star and two small ones; a major-general, two silver stars; brigadier-general, one silver star; a colonel, one silver spread-eagle; a lieutenant-colonel, a silver leaf ; a major, a gold leaf ; captain, two silver bars, and a first lieutenant, one silver bar. The naval officers have similar decorations plus an anchor. The lowest military commissioned rank is second-lieutenant; in the navy, ensign. Brevet rank is the title of a rank superior to that actually held, without its pay or emolu rilt_nt. At the close of the Civil War nearly all colonels, with good records, were brevetted brigadier-generals. See ARMY.
In the British navy and army the relative Tank is almost the 'same except in the two highest grades, where an admiral of the fleet ranks with field-marshal; 'then admiral with general, etc.