The

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...

of 1688 rearranged the political map of Europe, and led to a series of wars with France that lasted well over a century. This was the classic

age of sail The Age of Sail is a period that lasted at the latest from the mid-16th (or mid- 15th) to the mid-19th centuries, in which the dominance of sailing ships in global trade and warfare culminated, particularly marked by the introduction of nava ...

; while the ships themselves evolved in only minor ways, technique and tactics were honed to a high degree, and the battles of the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...

entailed feats that would have been impossible for the fleets of the 17th century. Because of parliamentary opposition, James II fled the country. The landing of William III and the

itself was a gigantic effort involving 100 warships and 400 transports carrying 11,000 infantry and 4,000 horses. It was not opposed by the English or Scottish fleets.

Historical overview

Naval operations in the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...

(1702–13) were with the Dutch against the Spanish and French. They were at first focused on the acquisition of a Mediterranean base, culminating in an alliance with Portugal and the capture of

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = "Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gibr ...

(1704) and

Port Mahon A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its cap ...

(1708). In addition

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

and

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

were obtained. Even so, freedom of action in the Mediterranean did not decide the war, although it gave the new

Kingdom of Great Britain The Kingdom of Great Britain (officially Great Britain) was a sovereign country in Western Europe from 1 May 1707 to the end of 31 December 1800. The state was created by the 1706 Treaty of Union and ratified by the Acts of Union 1707, wh ...

(created by the Union of England and Scotland in 1707) an advantage when negotiating the

Peace of Utrecht The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vacant throne ...

, and made Britain a recognized

great power A great power is a sovereign state that is recognized as having the ability and expertise to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength, as well as diplomatic and soft power i ...

. The British fleet ended Spanish occupation of

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

in 1718 and in 1727 blockaded

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...

. The subsequent quarter-century of peace saw a few naval actions. The navy was used against Russia and Sweden in the

Baltic Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages *Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...

from 1715 to 1727 to protect supplies of naval stores. It was used at the Cape Passaro in 1718, during the

Great Northern War The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swe ...

, and in the

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...

(1726). There was a war against Spain in 1739 over the slave trade. In 1745 the navy transported troops and stores to Scotland to defeat the

Jacobite rising Jacobitism (; gd, Seumasachas, ; ga, Seacaibíteachas, ) was a political movement that supported the restoration of the senior line of the House of Stuart to the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British throne. The name derives from the first name ...

. The

War of Jenkins' Ear The War of Jenkins' Ear, or , was a conflict lasting from 1739 to 1748 between Britain and the Spanish Empire. The majority of the fighting took place in New Granada and the Caribbean Sea, with major operations largely ended by 1742. It is con ...

(1739–48) saw various naval operations in the Caribbean under different admirals against Spanish trade and possessions, before the war subsequently merged into the wider

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George ...

(1740–1748). This, in turn, brought a new round of naval operations against France. In 1745 the navy twice defeated the French off Finisterre but their convoys escaped. The Navy also defended against invasion by

Charles Edward Stuart Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (20 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, grandson of James II and VII, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland and ...

the "Young Pretender". By the end of the war, the Navy was fully engaged in the worldwide protection of British trade. The

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...

(1756–63) began somewhat inauspiciously for the Navy, with a French siege of

and the failure to relieve it. Menorca was lost but subsequent operations went more successfully (due more to government support and better strategic thinking, rather than admirals "encouraged" by Byng's example), and the British fleet won several victories. The French tried to invade Britain in 1759 but their force was defeated at

Quiberon Bay Quiberon Bay (french: Baie de Quiberon) is an area of sheltered water on the south coast of Brittany. The bay is in the Morbihan département. Geography The bay is roughly triangular in shape, open to the south with the Gulf of Morbihan to t ...

. Spain entered the war against Britain in 1762 but lost

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

and

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...

, though the latter was given back in exchange for

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

. The Treaty of Paris that ended the war left Britain with colonial gains, but isolated strategically. At the beginning of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

(1775–83), the Royal Navy dealt with the fledgling

Continental Navy The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War and was founded October 13, 1775. The fleet cumulatively became relatively substantial through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron John Ad ...

handily, destroying or capturing many of its vessels. France soon took the American side, and in 1778 a French fleet sailed for America, where it attempted to land at

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

and nearly engaged with the British fleet before a storm intervened Spain and the Dutch Republic entered the war in 1780. Action shifted to the Caribbean, where there were a number of battles with varying results. The most important operation came in 1781 when, in the

Battle of the Chesapeake The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or simply the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American Revolutionary War that took place near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay on 5 September 17 ...

, the British failed to lift the French blockade of Lord Cornwallis, resulting in a British surrender in the

Battle of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender at Yorktown, or the German battle (from the presence of Germans in all three armies), beginning on September 28, 1781, and ending on October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virgi ...

. Although combat was over in North America, it continued in the Caribbean and India, where the British experienced both successes and failures. Though

had been recaptured, it was returned to the Spanish.

Organization eighteenth century

Admiralty of Great Britain

File:English White Ensign 1620.svg, English Navy White Ensign 1700–1707 File:Naval Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg, British Navy White Ensign 1707–1801 File:White Squadron Ensign 1702-1707.svg, White Squadron Ensign 1702–1707

Commander in chiefs

* Queen Anne * King George I * King George II *

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great B ...

Naval Lords of England and Great Britain

* Office of the Lord High Admiral of England ** Office of the Vice-Admiral of England *** Office of the Rear-Admiral of England * Office of the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain ** Office of the Vice-Admiral of Great Britain *** Office of the Rear-Admiral of Great Britain

Civil administration of the Navy

=Board of Admiralty

= ''The Board of Admiralty and the Lord's Commissioners executing the office of the Lord High Admiral'' * the Board of Admiralty ** Private Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, and member of the

English government There has not been a government of England since 1707 when the Kingdom of England ceased to exist as a sovereign state, as it merged with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.British government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_est ...

(1707–1801). *** Office of Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty *** Office of the Clerk of the Admiralty *** Office of the Admiralty Clerk of the Journals appointed,(1638 – 1741). **** Messenger of the Admiralty, appointed, 1687. **** Housekeeper of the Admiralty appointed, (1687 – 1799) **** Doorkeeper of the Admiralty, 1687. **** Gardner of the Admiralty appointed (1687 – 1799) **** Office of the Translator to the Admiralty, (1755 – 1869) Civil Commissioner *

First Secretary to the Admiralty The Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty also known as the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Board of Admiralty was a position on the Board of Admiralty and a civil officer of the British Royal Navy. It was usually ...

(1652 – present) **Office of the Chief Clerk of the Admiralty, appointed, (1694 – 1870). * Deputy Secretary to the Admiralty (1728 – 41), (1744 – 6), (1756 – 9), (1764 – 83). * Joint Secretary to the Admiralty (1741 – 1742). *Office of the

Second Secretary to the Admiralty The Permanent Secretary of the Admiralty was the permanent secretary at the Admiralty, the department of state in Great Britain responsible for the administration of the Royal Navy. He was head of the Admiralty Secretariat, later known as the '' ...

(1702 – 1766), (1759 – 1763), Naval Lords * Naval Lord Commissioners (1700 – 1762) *

Senior Naval Lord Senior (shortened as Sr.) means "the elder" in Latin and is often used as a suffix for the elder of two or more people in the same family with the same given name, usually a parent or grandparent. It may also refer to: * Senior (name), a surname ...

from (1689 – 1860) Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
''609 commissioners served during 18th century'' ''Notes: Between 1693 and 1830 the commission always included either 1 or 2 additional naval lords except from 1757 until 1782 when it was just the Senior Naval Lord. After 1830 the Naval Lords are titled, First, Second, Third, Fourth until 1904 when they are re-styled Sea Lord. A junior naval lord is introduced in 1868 until 1903 then is re-styled Fifth Sea lord from 1917.''

Judicial administration

*Office of the Lord High Admiral **Advocate General to the office of the Lord High Admiral ''Legal Advisors to the admiralty courts'' *Office of the Lord High Admiral **Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty, ( attached originally to the Navy Board) appointed 1673–1824 **Office of Solicitor for the affairs of the Admiralty and Navy, appointed, (1692 – 1799).

High court of the admiralty

*Office of the High Court of the

Admiralty Court Admiralty courts, also known as maritime courts, are courts exercising jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries, and offences. Admiralty courts in the United Kingdom England and Wales Scotland The Scottish court's earliest ...

(1450 – 1875). ** Office of the President and Judge of the High Court in England and Wales only. **Office of the

Judge Advocate of the Fleet The Judge Advocate of the Fleet was an appointed civilian judge who was responsible for the supervision and superintendence of the court martial system in the Royal Navy from 1663 to 2008. History The position dates to the sixteenth century but ...

***Office of the Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet ** Office of the Proctor of the High Court ** Office of the Marshall of the High Court ** Office of the Droits of the High Court ***Vice Admiralty Courts (Home) ***Vice Admiralty Jurisdictions and prizes (Abroad) ''Note:Admiralty Courts date to at least the 1360s, during the reign of

Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...

. At that time there were three such Courts, appointed by Admirals responsible for waters to the north, south and west of England. In 1483 these local courts were amalgamated into a single High Court of Admiralty, administered by the Lord High Admiral of England.''

Vice admiralty courts

Vice-Admiral of the Coast was responsible for the defence of one of the twenty maritime counties of

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

, the North and South of

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

As a Vice-Admiral, the post holder was the chief of naval administration for his district. His responsibilities included, deciding the outcome of the

Prize court A prize court is a court (or even a single individual, such as an ambassador or consul) authorized to consider whether prizes have been lawfully captured, typically whether a ship has been lawfully captured or seized in time of war or under the t ...

(captured by

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

ships), dealing with salvage claims for wrecks, acting as a

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

in relation to maritime issues. ''England'' * Vice-Admiral Cheshire * Vice-Admiral Cornwall * Vice-Admiral Cumberland * Vice-Admiral Devon * Vice-Admiral Dorset * Vice-Admiral Durham * Vice-Admiral Essex * Vice-Admiral Gloucestershire * Vice-Admiral Hampshire * Vice-Admiral Kent * Vice-Admiral Lancashire * Vice-Admiral Lincolnshire * Vice-Admiral Norfolk * Vice-Admiral Northumberland * Vice-Admiral Somerset * Vice-Admiral Suffolk * Vice-Admiral Sussex * Vice-Admiral Westmorland * Vice-Admiral Yorkshire ''Ireland'' * Vice-Admiral Ireland * Vice-Admiral Connaught * Vice-Admiral Leinster * Vice-Admiral Munster * Vice-Admiral Ulster ''Scotland'' * Vice-Admiral Scotland * Vice-Admiral Orkney and Shetland * Vice-Admiral Western Coast ''Wales'' * Vice-Admiral North Wales * Vice-Admiral South Wales Vice Admiralty Jurisdictions and prizes abroad By appointing Vice-Admirals in the colonies, and by constituting courts as Vice-Admiralty Courts, the terminology recognized that the existence and superiority of the "mother" court in the United Kingdom. Thus, the "vice" tag denoted that whilst it was a separate court, it was not equal to the "mother" court. In the case of the courts abroad, a right of appeal lay back to the British Admiralty Court, which further reinforced this superiority. In all respects, the court was an Imperial court rather than a local Colonial court. ''North America'' * Vice-Admiral Carolina (1694–1712) * Vice-Admiral Georgia (1754–1777) * Vice-Admiral Maryland (1697–1776) * Vice-Admiral Massachusetts (1698–1776) * Vice-Admiral New Hampshire (1699–1776) * Vice-Admiral New York, including,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...

and

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

(1694–1776) * Vice-Admiral North Carolina (1729–1776) * Vice-Admiral Pennsylvania, including Delaware, (1697–1776) * Vice-Admiral Rhode Island (1704–1776) * Vice-Admiral South Carolina (1712–1776) * Vice-Admiral Virginia (1697–1776) ''West Indies'' * Vice-Admiral Barbados * Vice-Admiral Jamaica

Naval operations

Senior leadership

''Naval High Command'' included: * Office of the Lord High Admiral (1600–1628) ** Office of the Vice-Admiral of England (1600–1707) ** Office of the Vice-Admiral of Great Britain (1707–1801) *** Office of the Rear-Admiral of England (1600–1707) *** Office of the Rear-Admiral of Great Britain (1707–1801) * Office of the First lord of the Admiralty (1628–1964) ** Office of the Naval Lord of the Admiralty. *** Admiralty Secretariat ***

Board of longitude The Commissioners for the Discovery of the Longitude at Sea, or more popularly Board of Longitude, was a British government body formed in 1714 to administer a scheme of prizes intended to encourage innovators to solve the problem of finding lon ...

*** Greenwich Hospital *** Nautical Almanac Office *** Office of the Chaplain General *** Office of the Charity for Sea Officers’ Widows *** Office of the Compassionate Fund *** Office of the Hydrographer of the Navy *** Office of the Poor Knights of Windsor ***

Register office A register office or The General Register Office, much more commonly but erroneously registry office (except in official use), is a British government office where births, deaths, marriages, civil partnership, stillbirths and adoptions in Eng ...

***

Royal Naval Academy The Royal Naval Academy was a facility established in 1733 in Portsmouth Dockyard to train officers for the Royal Navy. The founders' intentions were to provide an alternative means to recruit officers and to provide standardised training, educa ...

*** Royal Observatory *** Sixpenny Office

Fleet commands

''Flag officers of the fleet'' * Admiral of the Fleet Red ** Vice-Admiral of the Red. *** Rear-Admiral of the Red. * Admiral of the White. **

Vice-Admiral of the White The Vice-Admiral of the White was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Vice-Admiral of the Red (see order of precedence below). Royal Navy officers holding the ranks of commodore, rear admira ...

. *** Rear-Admiral of the White *

Admiral of the Blue The Admiral of the Blue was a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, immediately outranked by the rank Admiral of the White (see order of precedence below). From 1688 to 1805 this rank was in order of precedence third; after 1805 ...

. ** Vice-Admiral of the Blue. *** Rear-Admiral of the Blue

Flag officers commanding fleets and stations

Fleets * Commander-in-Chief, Channel Fleet (1690 – 1909). * Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet (1690 – 1967). Home Commands * Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland Station (1797 – 1922). * Commander-in-Chief, The Downs (1777 – 1815) *

Commander-in-Chief, The Nore The Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, was an operational commander of the Royal Navy. His subordinate units, establishments, and staff were sometimes informally known as the Nore Station or Nore Command. The Nore is a sandbank at the mouth of the T ...

(1742 – 1961) ** Admiral-Superintendent, Chatham (1752 – 1955) *** Captain Superintendent, Sheerness (1799 – 1898). *

Commander-in-Chief, North Sea The Commander-in-Chief, North Sea, was senior appointment and an operational command of the British Royal Navy originally based at Great Yarmouth from 1745 to 1802 then at Ramsgate from 1803 until 1815. The office holder commanded the North Sea ...

(1782 – 1815) *

Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. The commanders-in-chief were based at premises in High Street, Portsmouth from the 1790s until the end of Sir Thomas Williams's tenure, his succes ...

(1697 – 1969). **

Admiral-superintendent, Portsmouth The Admiral-superintendent, Portsmouth was the Royal Navy officer in command of the Naval Dockyard. Portsmouth from 1832 to 1971; prior to this date a resident Commissioner of the Navy Board had had oversight of the yard, since 1649. In May 1971 co ...

(1707 – 1712), (1832 – 1969) *

Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. Between 1845 and 1896, this offic ...

(1743 – 1969). ** Admiral-Superintendent, Plymouth (1707 – 1712), (1832 – 1966) Overseas Commands * Commander-in-Chief, Jamaica Station (1655 – 1830). * Commander-in-Chief, Newfoundland Station (1729 – 1825). * Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station (1744 – 1941). * Commander-in-Chief, North America Station (1745 – 1818). * Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands Station (1775 – 1853). *

Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station The Commander-in-Chief, Africa was the last title of a Royal Navy's formation commander located in South Africa from 1795 to 1939. Under varying titles, it was one of the longest-lived formations of the Royal Navy. It was also often known as the C ...

(1795 – 1939).

Fleet units

''Squadrons'' * Red Squadron * White Squadron * Blue Squadron

Administrative and logistical support

Board of Ordnance

* Office of the Board of Ordnance. (1597–1855) ** Office of the Master-General of the Ordnance (1597–1855) *** Office of the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance (1597–1855) **** Office of the Treasurer of the Ordinance (1597–1855) **** Office of the Surveyor-General of the Ordnance (1597–1888) **** Office of the Clerk of the Ordnance (1554–1853) **** Office of the Storekeeper of the Ordnance (1558–1845) **** Office of the Clerk of Deliveries of the Ordnance (1570–1812) *****Officers and Officials of Ordnance yards and stores

=Ordnance yards and stores

= ''Home Ordnance Yards'' * The Gun Wharf, Chatham Dockyard, * Gunwharf Portsmouth Dockyard, ''Gunpowder Magazines Stores'' *

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...

, London, (1461–1855) *

Square Tower The Square Tower is one of the oldest parts of the fortifications of Portsmouth, England. It is a Grade I listed building. History A tower was built in 1494 as part of the fortifications and served as a home to the Governor of Portsmouth. I ...

, Portsmouth, (1584–1855)

Navy board

''Construction, design, maintenance, material, supplies'' * Office of the Navy Board also known as the Navy Office ** Office of the Comptroller of the Navy (1597–1832) *** Office of the Surveyor of the Navy (1597–1832) ****Office of the Inspector of Naval Repairs (1731–1796). ****

Naval Works Department A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...

(1796 – 1813) *****Office of the

Inspector General of Naval Works Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

(1796 – 1808) ******Office of the Architect of Naval Works (1796 – 1808) ******Office of the Mechanist of Naval Works (1796 – 1808) ******Office of the Mechanist of Naval Works (1796 – 1808) ******Office of the Chemist of Naval Works (1796 – 1808) ******Office of the Secretary of Naval Works (1731–1799). ******Offices the Master Shipwrights of Naval Dockyards *** Office of the Treasurer of the Navy (1546–1597). **** Navy Pay Office ***** Office of the Paymaster of the Navy ****** Allotment Office ****** Bills and Accounts Office ****** Navy Branch ****** Office for Examining Treasurer's Accounts ****** Prize Branch ****** Remittance Office ****** Ticket Office ****** Office for Seaman's Wages ****** Office for Stores *** Office of the Clerk of the Acts (1413–1796) *** Office of the Controller of Treasurer Accounts (1667–1796) *** Office of the Controller of Victualling Accounts (1667–1796) **** Contract Office *** Office of the Controller of Storekeepers Accounts (1671–1796) ****Storekeepers HM Yards

=Subsidiary boards

= * Office of the Navy Board ** Office of the Comptroller of the Navy (1597–1831) ***

Sick and Hurt Board The Sick and Hurt Commissioners (also known as the Sick and Hurt Board, but formally and fully titled The Commissioners for taking Care of Sick and Wounded Seamen and for the Care and Treatment of Prisoners of War) were responsible for medical ser ...

, (established temporarily in times of war from 1653, placed on a permanent footing from 1715). **** Royal Naval Hospitals. *** Transport Board (1690–1724, re-established 1794–1862). ****

Penal Transportation Penal transportation or transportation was the relocation of convicted criminals, or other persons regarded as undesirable, to a distant place, often a colony, for a specified term; later, specifically established penal colonies became thei ...

***

Victualling Board The Commissioners for the Victualling of the Navy, often called the Victualling Commissioners or Victualling Board, was the body responsible under the Navy Board for victualling ships of the British Royal Navy. It oversaw the vast operation of ...

(1683–1832). ****Office of the Chairman of the Board *****Office of the Commissioners of the Board ******Office of the Secretary for Cash and Stores Accounts. ******* Cash Department ******* Stores Department **** Victualling Yard, Antigua *****Office of the Commissioner Antigua **** Victualling Yard Deptford. *****Office of the Commissioner Deptford ****

Victualling Yard, Gibraltar The Victualling Yard was a victualling facility in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar built for supplying Royal Navy ships while anchored at Rosia Bay. History The early history of the Victualling Yard complex is traced back to the lat ...

*****Office of the Commissioner Gibraltar **** Victualling Yard, Harwich *****Office of the Commissioner Harwich **** Victualling Yard, Jamaica *****Office of the Commissioner Jamaica **** Victualling Yard, Portsmouth *****Office of the Commissioner Portsmouth **** Victualling Yard, Plymouth *****Office of the Commissioner Plymouth

=Shore facilities

= Note: ''Dockyards during this period were managed by the individual Commissioners of the Navy for each yard''. ''Home naval base and dockyards'' *

Portsmouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is ...

(1496–present), still active. *

Woolwich Dockyard Woolwich Dockyard (formally H.M. Dockyard, Woolwich, also known as The King's Yard, Woolwich) was an English naval dockyard along the river Thames at Woolwich in north-west Kent, where many ships were built from the early 16th century until ...

(1512–1869). *

Deptford Dockyard Deptford Dockyard was an important naval dockyard and base at Deptford on the River Thames, operated by the Royal Navy from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. It built and maintained warships for 350 years, and many significant events ...

(1513–1869). *

Erith Erith () is an area in south-east London, England, east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historical county of Kent. Since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley. It lies nort ...

Dockyard. (1514–1521), failed Yard: due to persistent flooding. *

Chatham Dockyard Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th century ...

(1567–1983). *

Sheerness Dockyard Sheerness Dockyard also known as the Sheerness Station was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the Sheerness peninsula, at the mouth of the River Medway in Kent. It was opened in the 1660s and closed in 1960. Location In the Age of Sail, the Roy ...

(1665–1957). *

Plymouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport (HMNB Devonport) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Portsmouth) and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Ro ...

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to ...

(1690–1824) ''Oversea naval bases and dockyards'' *

Jamaica Dockyard Jamaica Dockyard also known as Port Royal Dockyard was a British Royal Navy Dockyard located at Port Royal, Jamaica. It was established 1675 and closed in 1905. The dockyard was initially administered by the Navy Board then later the Board of Adm ...

–

Port Royal Port Royal is a village located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and ...

(1675–1905). *

Gibraltar Dockyard ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song = "Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gibra ...

(1704–1982). *

Port Mahon Dockyard Port Mahon Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located at Port Mahon, Menorca, Spain. It was opened in 1708 and in 1802 the port was ceded back to Spain. However a resident commissioner of the Royal Navy was still appointed as late as 1814. The do ...

, (1708–1802) *

Nelson's Dockyard Nelson's Dockyard is a cultural heritage site and marina in English Harbour, located in Saint Paul Parish on the island of Antigua, in Antigua and Barbuda. It is part of Nelson's Dockyard National Park, which also contains Clarence House and Shi ...

Antigua Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...

(1723–1889). *

Royal Naval Dockyard, Halifax Royal Naval Dockyard, Halifax was a Royal Navy base in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Established in 1759, the Halifax Yard served as the headquarters for the Royal Navy's North American Station for sixty years, starting with the Seven Years' War. Th ...

, Canada, (1759–1905). * Navy Island Dockyard, Navy Island, Ontario, Canada, (1763–1822). * Kingston Dockyard, Canada, (1783–1853). * York Shipyards,

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North Americ ...

(1793–1813) *

Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda HMD Bermuda ( Her/His Majesty's Dockyard, Bermuda) was the principal base of the Royal Navy in the Western Atlantic between American independence and the Cold War. The Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda had occupied a useful position astr ...

(1795–1951). * Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard, Canada (1796–1813).

Marines

Marine department

* Office of the Admirals Regiment, (1655 – 1755). * Office of the Marine Department, (1755 – 1809). ** Marine Pay Office ***(Office of the Paymaster of the Marines, (1784 – 1831).

Marine forces

*Office of Corps of the Royal Marines (1755) **Colonel Commandant Chatham Division **Colonel Commandant Portsmouth Division **Colonel Commandant Plymouth Division

Impress service

Note: Responsible for forced naval recruitment, the admiralty handled command and control of the impress service, whilst the navy board administered the service. * Office of the Impress Service **Office of the Admiral Commanding Impress Service. ***Offices of the Captains Regulating the Impress Service Ports.

Sea fencible militias

Notes:''The

Sea Fencibles The Sea Fencibles were naval fencible (a shortening of ''defencible'') units established to provide a close-in line of defence and obstruct the operation of enemy shipping, principally during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The ...

were a British naval militia, mostly volunteers, that was formed in 1793 to act as an anti-invasion force in coastal waters.'' *Office of the Director Sea Fencibles. **Offices of the Fencible Districts Sea Fencible Districts, 1798 to 1801 #

Emsworth Emsworth is a town in the Borough of Havant in the county of Hampshire, England, near the border of West Sussex and located at by the south coast of England. It lies at the north end of an arm of Chichester Harbour, a large and shallow inlet fr ...

Beachy Head Beachy Head is a chalk headland in East Sussex, England. It is situated close to Eastbourne, immediately east of the Seven Sisters. Beachy Head is located within the administrative area of Eastbourne Borough Council which owns the land, formi ...

Deal A deal, or deals may refer to: Places United States * Deal, New Jersey, a borough * Deal, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * Deal Lake, New Jersey Elsewhere * Deal Island (Tasmania), Australia * Deal, Kent, a town in England * Deal, a ...

Faversham Faversham is a market town in Kent, England, from London and from Canterbury, next to the Swale, a strip of sea separating mainland Kent from the Isle of Sheppey in the Thames Estuary. It is close to the A2, which follows an ancient Briti ...

Leigh Leigh may refer to: Places In England Pronounced : * Leigh, Greater Manchester, Borough of Wigan ** Leigh (UK Parliament constituency) * Leigh-on-Sea, Essex Pronounced : * Leigh, Dorset * Leigh, Gloucestershire * Leigh, Kent * Leigh, Staff ...

Harwich Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring District, Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-w ...

to Yarmouth #

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Is ...

# Coast of

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...

# Coast of

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...

# Coast of

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

Land's End Land's End ( kw, Penn an Wlas or ''Pedn an Wlas'') is a headland and tourist and holiday complex in western Cornwall, England, on the Penwith peninsula about west-south-west of Penzance at the western end of the A30 road. To the east of it is ...

Saltfleet Saltfleet is a coastal village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately north of Mablethorpe and east of Louth. The village is part of the civil parish of Skidbrooke with Saltfleet Haven, which had a popu ...

Flamborough Head Flamborough Head () is a promontory, long on the Yorkshire coast of England, between the Filey and Bridlington bays of the North Sea. It is a chalk headland, with sheer white cliffs. The cliff top has two standing lighthouse towers, the ol ...

References

Sources

*''The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 3 George IV. 1822''. London: By His Majesty's Statute and Law Printer. 1822. *Hamilton, Admiral Sir. R. Vesey, G.C.B. (1896). ''Naval Administration: The Constitution, Character, and Functions of the Board of Admiralty, and of the Civil Departments it Directs''. London: George Bell and Sons. *Logan, Karen Dale (1976). ''The Admiralty: Reforms and Re-organization, 1868–1892''. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. University of Oxford. *Miller, Francis H. (1884). ''The Origin and Constitution of the Admiralty and Navy Boards, to which is added an Account of the various Buildings in which the Business of the Navy has been transacted from time to time''. London: For Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Copy in Greene Papers. National Maritime Museum. GEE/19. * Rodger. N.A.M., (1979) ''The Admiralty (offices of state)'', T. Dalton, Lavenham, .

External links

{{Naval Service (British), state=collapsed History of the Royal Navy