How were Warrant Officers appointed to Royal Navy ships during the Age of Sail?
score:9
It is perhaps not strictly accurate to say warrant officers were appointed by the Board of Admiralty. In general, they actually received their warrants from the Navy Board, which was the Royal Navy's administrative body until it was merged into the Admiralty in 1832. The Navy Board kept records of candidates for a warrant. When a vacancy opens up on a ship, it would (in theory) be filled by promoting suitably qualified mates with the appropriate specialty, more or less on the basis of experience.
Captains were generally given commissioned officers by the Admiralty, and warrant officers by the Navy Board. Only the petty officers were under the Captain's authority. An exception was when the ship is away from Britain. Then, the captain was allowed to nominate a certified person to the position, but these were subject to re-examination and confirmation by the Navy Board later.
Wardroom Warrant Officers were appointed to the time a ship was in service, similar to commissioned officers. They had the privilege of access to the wardroom, where they dine with the commissioned officers.
The Master was the senior warrant officer on any ship, appointed by the Navy Board for each voyage. To qualify for the position, master candidates were examined by Trinity House for fitness in controlling specific ratings of ships. On this basis they were then appointed to take charge of an appropriate ship's navigation.
Both the Purser and the Surgeon were also appointed by the Navy Board. The Surgeon was originally examined by the Worshipful Company of Barber-Surgeons, and after 1745, the Company of Surgeons. The Purser was more of a businessman, and at least some bought their positions in order to profit from selling subpar provisions.
The Chaplains were originally nominated by individual captains on an ad hoc basis. In 1665, as an attempt at reforming, the Archbishop of Canterbury was made responsible for appointing chaplains. After 1677 this role was assumed by the Bishop of London. Nevertheless, there were usually too few chaplains to go around the whole navy, and so candidates may request postings to specific ships. Their status sort of depends on how the captain treated them.
Standing Warrant Officers differ from the rest by being appointed to a specific ship, rather than specific voyages à la commissioned officers. Even when the ship became laid up, they remain attached as a maintenance crew. Promotions come in the form of being swapped to a larger ship.
The Gunner and the Boatswain were warranted by the Navy Board. The Gunner had to be certified by veteran gunners of the navy as well as in mathematics in order to receive a warrant.
The Cook was typically a disabled serviceman appointed by the Victualling Board, a reward of sorts for his service. This organisation which was responsible for provisioning the Royal Navy ships with food, drinks, and other supplies. It was merged into the Admiralty alongside the Navy Board in 1832.
The Armourer and Gunsmith were warranted by the Board of Ordinance, an independent department that supplied artillery and munition needs of both the Army and the Royal Navy until 1855. These were not usually found on all but the biggest ships.
The Master-at-Arms and the Schoolmaster were appointed by the Admiralty itself. These were petty warrant officers.
More post
- 📝 Dunkirk little ships collection
- 📝 When did worship of Baal cease to exist?
- 📝 What significant regions and countries became Muslim without being first conquered by a Muslim power?
- 📝 Has the Delmarva Peninsula been known by any other name?
- 📝 What was President Jimmy Carter's role in the Iranian Revolution?
- 📝 When were public tariffs and taxes for water supply introduced for the first time?
- 📝 Legendary visits by Alexander the Great
- 📝 What was the banquet of chestnuts?
- 📝 What country has had territorial disputes with the largest number of neighbors/other countries at the same time?
- 📝 How were city government and law enforcement authorities organized in Northern Italy in the 17th century?
- 📝 What does it mean to "take the Cross"
- 📝 Who created the Korean Unification Flag?
- 📝 What quality were Japanese troops in Japan in 1945?
- 📝 Were there restrictions on German refugees entering the US during World War II?
- 📝 How Many Members of US Congress Have Died While In Office?
- 📝 For whom would this priest write a long geographical report on his parish?
- 📝 Interaction between Ataturk and Lenin
- 📝 Did the Roman senate immediately send new governors after the death of proconsuls/propraetors?
- 📝 When were public roads cleaned electromagnetically?
- 📝 Qin's use of the number six
- 📝 If modern human existed for hundreds of thousands years why was writing invented only some 7000-9000 years ago?
- 📝 Did the Weimar governments publish revelatory WWI documents?
- 📝 Were there examples from Renaissance period of a relationship of erotic nature between a teacher and a student or during transmission of knowledge?
- 📝 When did American elections begin to use the ballot?
- 📝 How common were professional musicians before the advent of recorded music?
- 📝 Why did WW1 soldiers carry so much equipment?
- 📝 Why does Europe have so few skyscrapers compared to East Asia?
- 📝 Who is the earliest recorded person?
- 📝 Are Americans More Obsessed With the Military Aspect of History? If so, why?
- 📝 How has mother/ child mortality evolved from pre industrial era?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How were Warrant Officers appointed to Royal Navy ships during the Age of Sail?
- 📝 Why were Royal Navy ships forbidden to attack the ARA Veinticinco de Mayo in Argentinian waters?
- 📝 How many British navy officers were from lower classes at the end of 18th century?
- 📝 If a merchant ship captain joined the Royal Navy during the age of sail, would they be put in command?
- 📝 Would a commissioned officer in the Royal Navy during the mid-late 18th century ever sail on a vessel other than a man-o-war, ship of the line, etc?
- 📝 How beneficial were war bonds to the US during WWII
- 📝 How difficult was to escape from a naval battle after engaging into one during the Age of Sail?
- 📝 How educated were the clergy during the Medieval period?
- 📝 How were the Bulgarians regarded by the Nazis during World War II?
- 📝 How could it be that 80% of townspeople were farmers during the Edo period in Japan?
- 📝 How were the Venera Probe missions received/presented in the Western world during the space race?
- 📝 How big were the biggest elections during the ancient era?
- 📝 How close were the living standards of India compared to England during the medieval period?
- 📝 How could black men serve as officers in the US army during segregation?
- 📝 How were political borders marked during the Middle Ages?
- 📝 How were de jure lands determined during the Middle Ages in Western Europe?
- 📝 How did pumps work during the Age of Sail?
- 📝 What happened to the French royal navy during the french-revolution?
- 📝 What were the typical types of ships used in the Persian Navy in the 1730's and 1740's?
- 📝 How were expelled ministers "witnessed" during the Great Ejection of 1662?
- 📝 How realistic were von Papen's plans to invade Canada using "German cowboys" during the Great War?
- 📝 How many people were beheaded by the Guillotine in France during the French Revolution (1789-1794)?
- 📝 How good were Confederate resupply capabilities during the Gettysburg campaign?
- 📝 How prevalent were American disinformation campaigns during the Cold War?
- 📝 Was there a dry dock available to pirate ships during the golden age of piracy?
- 📝 Were officers allowed to resign during the American Civil War?
- 📝 How many tons of steel were produced in Russia during the Russian Civil War?
- 📝 How were false US flags identified on slave ships in the transatlantic slave trade?
- 📝 How were snipers used on the western front during WW2?
- 📝 How long did men have to serve in the US army until they were promoted to sergeants during WW2?