ADMINISTRATOR ADMIRALTY COURTS. 



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ADMINISTRATOR (Latin) ; the person to whom the 

 S[Oods of a man dying intestate are committed by the 

 proper authority, for which he is accountable when 

 thereunto required. For matters relating to this 

 title, see Executor, 



ADMIRAL ; the Commander-in-chief of a squadron 

 or fleet of ships of war, or of the entire naval force 

 of a country. Probably this word is of Arabic ori- 

 gin, and signifies originally the emtr, or prince, of the 

 waters. In the time of the crusades, the office and 

 name .were introduced into Europe. The first au- 

 thentic instance that occurs of admirals in Europe is 

 about 1284. when Philip, king of France, created 

 Enguerrand de Coucy admiral of his fleet. In the 

 reign of Edward I. king of England, we find a title 

 of honour, " Admiral de la mer du roy d' Angletcrre," 

 -. conferred for the first time on W. de Leybourne ; and 

 about this time the jurisdiction of the English seas 

 was committed to three or four admirals, who held 

 the office durante bene placito. From the time of 

 Edward II. a regular succession of admirals is to be 

 traced ; and in the 34th year of Edward III. John 

 de Beauchamp, lord warden of the Cinque Ports, 

 was created high admiral of England. The office 

 underwent several changes, and persons of high rank, 

 some of whom were entirely unacquainted with naval 

 affairs, continued to fill this office until 1632, when 

 it was first put into commission, as it remained during 

 the protectorate of Cromwell. James, duke of York, 

 afterwards James II., exercised the functions of lord 

 high admiral for several years of Charles II.'s reign. 

 Many of his regulations are observed to the present 

 time, and evince his zeal for this most important ser- 

 vice in England. During the reign of William and 

 Mary, the powers of the lord high admiral were 

 committed to lords commissioners of the admiralty. 

 Prince George of Denmark enjoyed this dignity 

 during a short period of the reign of Anne ; since 

 which time it has always been vested in seven lords 

 commissioners, acting under the statute of William 

 and Mary, till the year 1827, when the first step of 

 Mr Canning, as premier, was to prevail on the duke 

 of Clarence to accept the office of lord high admiral ; 

 but the duke, soon after the formation ot the duke of 

 Wellington's administration, gave up the office. 

 The income of the first lord-commissioner is at pre- 

 sent equal to 5000 per annum. The surplus revenue 

 forms what are called the droits of admiralty, and is 

 applied at the pleasure of government. To the lord 

 high admiral, or lords commissioners of the admiralty 

 of England, belongs the power of decision in all ma- 

 ritime cases, both civil and criminal ; a jurisdiction 

 upon or beyond the sea in all parts of the world ; 

 upon (he sea coasts in all ports, havens, or harbours, 

 and upon all rivers below the bridge nearest to the 

 sea : according to the terms of the patent, " To 

 preserve all public streams, ports, rivers, fresh waters, 

 and creeks wliatsoever, within his jurisdiction, as 

 well for the preservation of the ships as of the fishes ; 

 to reform too straight nets and unlawful engines, and 

 punish offenders; to arrest ships, mariners, pilots, 

 masters, gunners, bombardiers, and any other persons 

 whatsoever, able and fit for the service of ships, as 

 often as occasion shall require, and wheresoever they 

 shall be met with ; to appoint vice-admirals, judges, 

 and other officers durante bene placito ; to remove, 

 suspend, or expel them , and put others in their places ; 

 to take cognizance of civil and maritime laws, and of 

 death, murder, and maim." The lord warden of the 

 Cinque Ports has, nevertheless, a jurisdiction exempt 

 from the control of the admiralty within these ports, 

 and the lord admiral seems to have his more proper 

 jurisdiction confined to the main sea. Between high 

 and low water marks, the common law and the ad- 

 miralty have jurisdiction by turn. By the regulations 



of the navy, the lord high admiral grants commissions 

 to inferior admirals to enforce obedience in all the 

 branches of the service ; to all courts-martial for the 

 trial of offences against the articles of war, upon 

 which they decide By the majority of votes, a deputy 

 judge advocate, who resides at Plymouth, presiding 

 over those of most importance. To the office of 

 lord high admiral are given, as perquisites, by the 

 patent, " treasure, deodands, and relics found within 

 his jurisdiction ; all goods picked up at sea ; all fines, 

 forfeitures, ransoms, &c. ; all whales and large fishes ; 

 all ships and goods of the enemy coming into any 

 port, &c., by stress of weather, mistake, or ignorance 

 of war; all ships seized at sea, salvage, &c., together 

 with his share of prizes. In ancient times, this offi- 

 cer carried a gold whistle set with precious stones. 

 In France, the admiral (I'amiral) enjoyed, until 1627. 

 very great prerogatives ; but Richelieu, deeming 

 the influence of the office too great, abolished it. 

 Louis XIV. re-established it in 1069 with less power. 

 In the revolution, this office, of course, vanished with 

 the abolition of the monarchy. Napoleon renewed 

 the office, and invested his brother-in-law Murat 

 with it. The duke of Angouleme was the first ad- 

 miral after the restoration of the Bourbons. The 

 highest officers in the French navy have only the 

 tide vice-admiral ; after these follow the rear-ad- 

 mirals (contre-amiraux). ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET ; 

 the highest naval officer under the admiralty of Great 

 Britain, who, when he embarks, is distinguished by 

 the hoisting of the union flag at the main-top-gallant- 

 mast head. The powers or the lord high admiral of 

 Scotland have been vested, since the union, in the 

 admiralty of Great Britain, which appoints a judge, 

 or vice-admiral, who executes its duties, and presides 

 over an admiralty court in Scotland. Admirals, being 

 commanders in chief of any fleet or squadron, carry 

 their flags at the main-top-gallant-mast head, from 

 which they are designated as admirals of the red, of 

 the white, of the blue. They rank with field-mar- 

 shals in the army. The vice-admiral carries his flag 

 at the fore-top-mast head, and takes rank with the 

 lieutenant-generals of the army. The rear-admiral 

 carries his flag at the mizzen-top mast head, and 

 ranks with major-generals. The United States have 

 no admirals. The board of the navy directs all the 

 afiairs of the navy. The vice-admiral is a civil offi- 

 cer, appointed by the lords commissioners of the 

 admiralty, having judges and marshals under him. 

 From his decisions, however, there is a final appeal 

 to the court of admiralty. The place of vice-admi- 

 ral of England is now a sinecure. Ireland has four 

 vice-admirals ; Scotland one ; and the governors of 

 colonies generally hold a commission to preside over 

 vice-admiralty courts. A. is also a name given to 

 the most considerable ship of a fleet of merchantmen, 

 or of the vessels employed in the cod-fishery of New- 

 foundland. The ship which first arrives is entitled 

 to this appellation, and some privileges ; it carries 

 during the fishing season a flag on the main-mast. 

 A. in natural history, a very Beautiful shell of the 

 valuta genus. It is sold at a very high price. 



ADMIRALTY COURTS have cognizance of civil and 

 criminal causes of a maritime nature, including cap- 

 tures in war made on the high seas, and likewise of 

 fence committed, and many contracts made thereon. 

 In civil suits, the judges decide unaided. In criminal 

 cases, the judge in England is associated with three 

 or four commissioners ; in the United States, he is 

 assisted by a jury. In the latter country, the admi- 

 ralty jurisdiction is vested in the circuit and district 

 courts of the Union. In England, it is divided be- 

 tween the instance and the prize courts, the former 

 being the ordinary admiralty court, the latter being 

 constituted by a special commission, in time of war, 



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