Lord High ADMIRAL of England, in some ancient re-
cords called capitaneus maritimarum, an officer of great
antiquity and trust, as appears by the laws of Oleron, so
denominated from the place at which they were made by
Richard I. The first title of admiral of England, ex-
pressly
Admiral. presently conferred upon a subject, was given by patent of Richard II. to Richard Fitz-Allen, jun. earl of Arundel and Surrey; for those who before enjoyed this office were simply termed admirals, though their jurisdiction seems as extensive, especially in the reign of Edward III. when the court of admiralty was first erected.
This great officer has the management of all maritime affairs, and the government of the royal navy, with power of decision in all maritime causes both civil and criminal: he judges of all things done upon or beyond the sea, in any part of the world; upon the sea coasts, in all ports and havens, and upon all rivers below the first bridge from the sea. By him, vice-admirals, rear admirals, and all sea captains, are commissioned: all deputies for particular coasts, and coroners to view dead bodies found on the sea coasts, or at sea: he also appoints the judges for his court of admiralty, and may imprison, release, &c. All ports and havens are infra corpus comitatus, and the admiral hath no jurisdiction of any thing done in them. Between high and low water mark, the common law and the high admiral have jurisdiction by turns, one upon the water, and the other upon the land.
The lord admiral has power, not only over the seamen serving in his ships of war, but over all other seamen, to arrest them for the service of the state; and, if any of them run away, without leave of the admiral, he hath power to make a record thereof, and certify the same to the sheriffs, mayors, bailiffs, &c. who shall cause them to be apprehended and imprisoned.
To the lord high admiral belong all penalties and amercements of all transgressions at sea, on the sea shore, in ports and havens, and all rivers below the first bridge from the sea; the goods of pirates and felons condemned or enslaved, sea wrecks, goods floating on the sea, or cast on the shore (not granted to lords of manors adjoining to the sea), and a share of lawful prizes; also all great fishes, commonly called royal fishes, except whales and sturgeons: to which add, a salary of 7000l. a-year.
In short, this is so great an office, in point of trust, honour, and profit, that it has been usually given to princes of the blood, or the most eminent persons among the nobility. We have had no high admiral for some years; the office being put in commission, or under the administration of the lords commissioners of the admiralty, who by statute have the same power and authority as the lord high admiral.
Lord High ADMIRAL of Scotland, one of the great officers of the crown, and supreme judge in all maritime cases within that part of Britain. See LAW.
ADMIRAL also implies the commander in chief of any single fleet or squadron; or, in general, any flag-officer whatever. The commander of a fleet carries his flag at the main-top-mast head. Thus we say, admiral of the red, of the white, of the blue.