Glossary
Able Seaman (A.B., a shortening of Able-bodied seaman): A seaman able to perform all
duties, especially handling the standing and running rigging of a ship.
Armourer: The warrant officer who was in charge of the ship's light arms.
Bark: see main encyclopaedia under Cats and Barks.
Boatswain (bosun): The warrant officer in a ship who had charge of the sails,
rigging, etc., and whose duty it was to summon the men to their duties with a whistle.
Brig: A vessel with two masts square-rigged like a ship's fore- and main-masts, but
carrying also on her main-mast a lower fore-and-aft sail with a gaff and boom.
Captain: The term "captain" had two meanings in the eighteenth century Royal Navy.
A man in charge of a vessel received the courtesy title "captain" even though his
official rank may only have been master, lieutenant or commander. James Cook,
therefore, was addressed as captain of the Endeavour even though he was only a
lieutenant.
The official rank of "captain" was granted by commission and ranked above a commander
and below a commodore. It was sometimes designated as post-captain to distinguish the
holder from those only having the courtesy title. All ships of 4th rate or larger would
have a post-captain in charge. 5th rates and smaller, such as the sloops and barks that
Cook sailed to the Pacific, could be commanded by men of lower rank than captain. James
Cook was promoted to post-captain on his return to Britain in August 1775 at the end of
his second voyage.
Carpenter: The warrant officer appointed to examine and keep in order the hull of a
wooden ship, and all her appurtenances; to repair damage and replace masts, booms,
etc.
Clerk: One employed in a subordinate position on the ship to make written entries,
keep accounts, make fair copies of documents, and similar 'clerkly' work.
Commander: Commander was the commissioned rank above lieutenant and below captain.
Cook and Furneaux were both commanders on the second voyage while Clerke (and
subsequently Gore and King when they took over) held this rank on the last voyage.
Commission: The authority by which an officer in the navy exercised command and the
warrant by which all officers in the navy from the lieutenant upwards, were appointed
to the rank and command they held. Hence, they were a Commissioned Officer.
Commissioned Officers: Captains, commanders and lieutenants.
Coxswain (cockswain): The person on board ship who had charge of the small boats
and their crews, of which he had command unless a superior officer was present.
Crew (as in X's crew): The group of men assigned to work under a particular Warrant
Officer.
Cutter: A boat, belonging to a ship, smaller than a pinnace, fitted for rowing and
sailing, and used for carrying light stores, passengers, etc.
Gunner: The warrant officer who had special charge of the battery, small arms,
magazine, and ordnance stores.
Lieutenant: The rank of lieutenant was the most junior of the commissioned ranks in
the eighteenth century Royal Navy coming below a commander. Theoretically, the award
of a commission by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty signified a promotion
based on proven performance and experience at sea. In reality, having influence or
knowing the right people advanced a man's chances considerably.
Lieutenants supervised various aspects of the running of a ship under the captain. The
number of lieutenants reflected the size of a ship. Very large ships could carry up
to six lieutenants with first lieutenants being the senior and sixth lieutenant being
the junior rank. Cook's ships only carried up to three lieutenants. If officers died
during a voyage, men were promoted to fill the vacancies and, if necessary, a warrant
officer or midshipman would be made up to lieutenant to fill the lowest vacancy.
Master: The master was the senior warrant officer on board with a rank approximately
equivalent to a lieutenant. He had specific responsibility for navigation, taking
ship's position daily and setting the sails as appropriate for the required course.
Masters, who were usually reasonably educated, possessed a master's ticket having been
professionally examined by Trinity House. They were able to stand watches and command
smaller rated ships in non-combatant duties. Cook commanded the Grenville with
the rank of master.
Other duties on board ship included supervision of the midshipmen and mates, taking
observations of the sun and maintaining the ship's compass. He was also responsible for
ensuring the maintenance of the rope rigging and sails, stowing of the hold, and
inspecting provisions. As such they were one of the most important people on board.
Master-at-arms: The warrant officer, who acted as chief police officer on board the
ship, and who enforced discipline on board.
Mate (as in X's mate): The appointed assistant to a particular Warrant Officer.
Midshipman: A midshipman was a non-commissioned naval officers ranking immediately
below the most junior commissioned officer, lieutenants. They originally had the
functions of a superior petty officer and, in many cases, were appointed or rated by
the ship's captain. A few were appointed by the Admiralty, some from the Naval
Academy in Portsmouth, and others through family connections. All were regarded as
potential naval officers and were expected to work in all areas of the ship to gain
experience.
Most midshipmen were teenagers but some were as young as ten. From the body of
midshipmen on board a ship, only some appeared as such on the ships' muster rolls.
Others were rated as A.Bs. or master's mates but they all messed together and were
often interchanged during the course of a voyage.
Non-commissioned Officers: midshipmen.
Pinnace: A double-banked small boat (usually eight-oared) forming part of the
equipment of the ship.
Quartermaster: A petty officer, who attended to the steering of the ship, the
binnacle, signals, stowing of the hold, etc.
Sailmaker: The person whose business it was to make, repair, or alter sails,
covers and awnings.
Schooner: A small sea-going fore-and-aft rigged vessel, originally with only two
masts, but now often with three or four masts and carrying one or more topsails.
Servant (as in X's servant): The man assigned to act a personal servant to a
particular person.
Ship's corporal: A petty officer on board ship, part of whose duty consisted in
teaching the sailors the use of small arms and attended to police matters under the
master-at-arms.
Warrant Officers: Officers who held office by a warrant, as distinguished from a
commissioned officer.
Yawl: A ship's boat resembling a pinnace, but somewhat smaller, usually with four
or six oars.
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