a great officer or magistrate, who has the government of a navy, and the hearing of all maritime causes.

Authors are divided with regard to the origin and denomination of this important officer, whom we find established in most kingdoms that border on the sea. But the most probable opinion is that of Sir Henry Spelman, who thinks, that both the name and dignity were derived from the Saracens, and, by reason of the holy wars, brought amongst us; for admirals, in the Arabian language, signifies a prince, or chief ruler, and was the ordinary title of the governors of cities, provinces, &c. and therefore they called the commander of the navy by that name, as a name of dignity and honour. And indeed there are no instances of admirals in this part of Europe before the year 1284, when Philip of France, who had attended St Lewis in the wars against the Saracens, created an admiral. Du Cange assures us, that the Sicilians were the first, and the Genoese the next, who gave the denomination of Admiral to the commanders of their naval armaments; and that they took it from the Saracen or Arabic Emir, a general name for every commanding officer. As for the exact time when the word was introduced among us, it is uncertain; some think it was in the reign of Edward I. Edward L. Sir Henry Spelman is of opinion that it was first used in the reign of Henry III. because neither the laws of Oleron made in 1266, nor Bracton, who wrote about that time, make any mention of it; and that the term admiral was not used in a charter in the eighth of Henry III. wherein he granted this office to Richard de Lacey, by these words Maritimam Angliæ; but in the 56th year of the same reign, not only the historians, but the charters themselves, very frequently use the word admiral.

Anciently there were generally three or four admirals appointed in the English seas, all of them holding the office durante bene placito; and each of them having particular limits under their charge and government; as admirals of the fleet of ships, from the mouth of the Thames northward, southward, or westward. Besides these, there were admirals of the Cinque Ports, as in the reign of Edward III., when one William Latimer was styled admiralis quinque portuum; and we sometimes find that one person has been admiral of the fleets to the southward, northward, and westward; but the title of admiralis Angliæ was not frequent till the reign of Henry IV., when the king's brother had that title given him, which in all commissions afterwards was granted to the succeeding admirals. It may be observed, that there was a title above that of admiral of England, which was, locum tenens regis super mare, the king's lieutenant-general of the sea; this title we find mentioned in the reign of Richard II.—Before the use of the word admiral was known, the title of custos maris was made use of.

Lord High Admiral of England, in some ancient records called capitaneus maritimarum, an officer of great antiquity and trust, as appears by the laws of Oleron, so denominated from the place they were made at by Richard I. The first title of Admiral of England, expressly 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 large, 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 cases 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 anything 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 fish, 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, Part III. No. clvii. 15.

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.

Vice Admiral, is the commander of the second squadron and carries his flag at the fore-top-mast head.

Rear Admiral, is the commander of the third squadron, and carries his flag at the mizen-top-mast head.

Vice Admiral, is also an officer appointed by the lords commissioners of the admiralty. There are several of these officers established in different parts of Great Britain, with judges and martials under them, for executing jurisdiction within their respective limits. Their decrees, however, are not final, an appeal lying to the court of admiralty in London.

Admiral is also an appellation given to the most considerable ship of a fleet of merchant-men, or of the vessels employed in the cod-fishery of Newfoundland. This last has the privilege of choosing what place he pleases on the shore to dry his fish; gives proper orders, and appoints the fishing-places to those who come after him; and as long as the fishing-season continues, he carries a flag on his main-mast.

zoology, the English name of a species of the voluta, a shell-fish belonging to the order of vermes testacea. See Voluta.