officer who commands a ship of the line of battle, or a frigate carrying 20 or more cannon. The charge of a captain in his majesty's navy is very comprehensive, in as much 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 ill management in his inferior officers, whose several charges he is appointed to superintend and regulate.

On his first receiving information of the condition and quality of the ship he is appointed to command, he must attend her constantly, and hasten the necessary preparations to fit her for sea. So strict, indeed, are the injunctions laid on him by the lord high admiral, or commissioners of the admiralty, that he is forbidden to lie out of his ship, from his arrival on board to the day of his discharge, unless by particular leave from the admiralty or from his commander in chief. He is enjoined to show a laudable example of honour and virtue to the officers and men; and to discountenance all dissolute, immoral, and disorderly practices, and such as are contrary to the rules of subordination and discipline; as well as to correct those who are guilty of such offences as are punishable according to the usage of the sea. He is ordered particularly to survey all the military stores which are sent on board, and to return whatever is deemed unfit for service. His diligence and application are required to procure his complement of men; observing carefully to enter only such as are fit for the necessary duty, that the government may not be put to unnecessary expense. When his ship is fully manned, he is expected to keep the established number of men complete, and superintend the muster himself if there is no clerk of the check at the port. When his ship is employed on a cruising station, he is expected to keep the sea the whole length of time previously appointed; but if he is compelled by some unexpected accident to return to port sooner than the time limited, he ought to be very cautious in the choice of a good situation for anchoring, ordering the master or other careful officers to sound and discover the depths of water and dangers of the coast. Previous to any possibility of an engagement with the enemy, he is to quarter the officers and men to the necessary stations according to their office and abilities, and to exercise them in the management of the artillery, that they may be more expert in time of battle. His station in the time of an engagement is on the quarter-deck; at which time he is expected to take all opportunities of annoying his enemy, and improving every advantage over him; to exhibit an example of courage and fortitude to his officers and crew; and to place his ship opposite to his adversary in such a position as that every cannon shall do effectual execution.

At the time of his arrival in port, after his return from abroad, he is to assemble his officers, and draw up a detail of the observations that have been made during the voyage, of the qualities of the ship as to her trim, ballast, stowage, manner of sailing, for the information and direction of those who may succeed him in the command; and this account is to be signed by himself and officers, and to be returned to the resident commissioner of the navy at the port where the ship is discharged.

Captain of a Merchant-ship, he who has the direction of the ship, her crew, and lading, &c. In small ships and short voyages, he is more ordinarily called the master. In the Mediterranean, he is called the patron.—The proprietor of the vessel appoints the captain or master; and he is to form the crew, and choose and hire the pilots, mates, and seamen; though, when the proprietor and master reside on the same spot, they generally act in concert together.

Captain Balshaw, or Capodan Balshaw, in the polity of the Turks, signifies the Turkish high admiral. He possesses the third office of the empire, and is invested with the same power at sea that the vizir has on shore. Soliman II. instituted this office in favour of the famous Barbarossa, with absolute authority over the officers of the marine and arsenal, whom he may punish, cashier, or put to death, as soon as he is without the Dardanelles. He commands in chief in all the maritime countries, cities, calles, &c., and, at Constantinople, is the first magistrate of police in the villages on the side of the Porte, and the canal of the Black-Sea. The mark of his authority is a large Indian cane, which he carries in his hand, both in the arsenal and with the army.—The captain-balshaw enjoys two sorts of revenues; the one fixed, the other casual. The first arise from a capitation of the islands in the Archipelago, and certain governments in Notoia and Galipoli. The latter consist in the pay of the men who die during a campaign; in a fifth of all prizes made by the begs; in the profits accruing from the labour of the slaves, whom he hires as rowers to the grand signior; and in the contributions he exacts in all places where he passes.