Admiral, the title of the highest rank of naval officers. The office was created by the Arabs in Spain and Sicily, and adopted with the name by Genoese, French, and by the English under Edward III. as 'amyrrel of the se,' or 'admirall of the navy.' The function of the English admiral of the sea was not, however, that of a commander, but embraced those general and extensive powers afterwards associated with the title of Lord High Admiral of England—that is, both the administrative functions now vested in the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty (six in number), and the judicial authority belonging to the present Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice. The office of Lord High Admiral was last filled by H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV. It had previously been under commissioners from 1708 to 1827; and on his resignation in 1828, the office was again put in commission. See ADMIRALTY COURTS.
In the British navy the admirals are distinguished into three classes—admirals, vice-admirals, and rear-admirals; the admiral carrying his colour at the main, the vice-admiral at the fore, and the rear-admiral at the mizzen mast-head. In former times, each grade was subdivided into three sections, known as admirals (or vice or rear-admirals) of the Red, of the White, and of the Blue, respectively. The flag hoisted by the admiral (thence called a flag-officer) agreed in colour with his section; and all the ships under his command carried ensign and pendant of the same hue; but the distinction was otherwise without practical effect, and is now abolished. Admiral of the Fleet is a higher rank, conferred at the will of the sovereign. The rates of full or sea pay of flag-officers are as follows: Admiral of the fleet, per day, £6; admiral, £5; vice-admiral, £4; rear-admiral, £3. An admiral commanding-in-chief receives £3 a day additional at home, and £4, 10s. abroad as table-money. In 1886 there were 74 flag-officers in the British navy—viz. 6 admirals of the fleet, 13 admirals, 21 vice-admirals, and 34 rear-admirals. The number of flag-officers retired and on reserve half-pay is upwards of 250. The admiral of the fleet takes rank with a field-marshal, admirals with generals, vice-admirals with lieutenant-generals, and rear-admirals with major-generals.
In the navy of the United States, no officer of higher rank than captain was commissioned prior to 1862 (with one single exception). In that year there were authorised to be commissioned 9 rear-admirals on the active list, and 9 on the retired or reserve list. Subsequently, the number on the active list was reduced to 7; the number on the retired list varying from time to time. Rear-admirals have the relative rank of major-generals. The rank of vice-admiral and that of admiral were created in 1864 and 1866 respectively; but it was resolved to allow their grades to become extinct. France has 1 admiral, 25 vice-admirals, and 33 rear-admirals; Germany—1 admiral, 3 vice-admirals, and 7 rear-admirals; Italy—1 admiral, 5 vice-admirals, and 11 rear-admirals.
The word is derived from the Arabic amīr or emīr, 'a commander' (as in Amīr-al-Bahr, 'commander of the sea'). The d was introduced into the English and German forms of the word by a mistaken impression which placed it in a line with the numerous words composed with the Latin ad. Thus the early English form was amiral or amiral; and so it is still preserved in French. In Spanish the word is admirante or almirante; Portuguese, almirante; Italian, ammiraglio. The word Admiral is sometimes used for an admiral's ship, or a large ship—as by Milton. Along the east coast of England the name of Admiral is given by the fishermen to one who, by their choice, is recognised leader of a fleet of fishing smacks.