CAPTAIN of a Ship of War, the officer who commands a ship of the line or a frigate. Officers who command smaller vessels are called commanders. In ships of the line a commander is also appointed with the captain; the former is therefore second captain. The charge of a captain in her majesty's navy is very comprehensive, inasmuch as he is not only answerable for any bad conduct in the military government, navigation, and equipment of the ship he commands, but also for any neglect of duty or mismanagement on the part of his inferior officers, whose several charges he is appointed to superintend and regulate. See NAVY.