In the Royal Navy, the rank of Master of the Fleet denoted the sailing master of a fleet flagship, or the senior sailing master in a fleet. Examples include John Bowen (Master of the Fleet during the Glorious First of June 1794), Ian Hogg, and John H. D. Cunningham.
By 1814, the title granted the master extra pay. By 1832, the masters of the fleet were given the equivalent rank and uniform of commanders. By 1843, masters were appointed by commission not warrant. By 1864, the title was changed to "Staff Captain" and ranked after the regular rank of captain, while masters who had served at least 15 years were given the new rank of "Staff Commander" and ranked after commander.
The title has been used outside the Royal Navy, such as in Ultramarines and other science fiction, and for the captain of the Belle of Louisville.
Famous quotes containing the words master of, master and/or fleet:
“He’s the master of the nightmare. He’s the Gustave Doré of the world of Henry Ford and Co., Inc.”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)
“We shall make mistakes, but they must never be mistakes which result from faintness of heart or abandonment of moral principles. I remember that my old school master Dr. Peabody said in days that seemed to us then to be secure and untroubled, he said things in life will not always run smoothly, sometimes we will be rising toward the heights and all will seem to reverse itself and start downward. The great thing to remember is that the trend of civilization itself is forever upward.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
“On the middle of that quiet floor
sits a fleet of small black ships,
square-rigged, sails furled, motionless,
their spars like burned matchsticks.”
—Elizabeth Bishop (1911–1979)