AND COMMAND.
A captain in the navy is the commanding officer of a man-of-war, and in most navies this title is given to officers next in rank to rear admirals. Its origin as a naval title is dis puted, but it seems to have come into use about the time that war-vessels took on their present character by combining the navigating with the fighting force: previous to this the master (which is still the proper designation of the commander of a merchant ship) had charge of the navigation, in which he had sailors to assist him; while the fighting was done by soldiers put on board for the purpose and commanded 1.y a military officer. In the British Navy the rank was first clearly defined in 1747, and those captains who commanded post-ships (i.e. rated hips), it of three years' standing, took rank with colonels of the army, and they appeared as post-captains in the royal navy list until 1S24. Before and since this latter date, in the British Navy and in that of the United States, the name post-captain was used to distinguish command ing officers of frigates and larger ships from commanders and master-commanders who were called captain by courtesy. Until 1862 the rank
of captain was the highest in the United States Navy (see Ammar.), but captains who had commanded squadrons were addressed by the courtesy title of commodore. According to the order of the President of .Tune 7. 1901, captains play be ordered to command a division of ships, a vessel of the first rate, or second rate, or one not rated. The number of captains on the active list of the United States Navy is, by law. sev enty, but this number is exclusive of those who may have been promoted one or more numbers for service during the war with Spain. They rank with colonels of the army and receive the same pay while at sea ($3500, with an addition of 10 per cent. for each five year:, of service until the maximum of 84500 is reached), but while on shore duty receive 15 per cent. less.