Admiralty

enUK

Admiralty,

in British government, department in charge of the operations of the Royal Navy until 1964. Originally established under Henry VIII, it was reorganized under Charles II. Five lords commissioners composed the board of Admiralty, each gradually developing his own field of specific responsibility, with the first lord responsible to Parliament. In 1832 it absorbed the navy board, previously responsible for the administrative organization. In 1964 the Admiralty became the navy department, coequal with the other service departments, of the ministry of defense. The navy is now directed by the Admiralty Board of the Defense Council, which consists of 4 naval and 7 civilian members, including the secretary of state for defense, who serves as chair.

Admiralty

(1) The basic center for construction of military ships for an isolated naval theater. In Russia from the end of the 17th century until the 19th century there were admiralties in Voronezh (1695–1711), St. Petersburg, Sevastopol’, Nikolaev, and Kronshtadt. Admiralties were usually located in harbors or ports and on riverbanks convenient for launching ships—for example, the major admiralty in St. Petersburg was located on the left bank of the Neva. During 1704–1844 ships were built at the admiralty, and later it housed offices of the fleet department.

(2) A building in Leningrad, a remarkable work in both Russian and world architecture. Begun as a shipyard in 1704 by Peter I, who had conceived the plan, the Admiralty was reconstructed by I. K. Korobov from 1727 until 1738 and by A. D. Zakharov from 1806 until its completion in 1823; Zakharov created a monumental building in the strict lines of the Russian Empire style. Three of Leningrad’s main roads meet at the Admiralty tower, the center of the city’s architectural composition. The Admiralty’s façades, sculpted by F. F. Shchedrin, I. I. Terebenev, and others, and its interiors have an organic connection with the architecture of the building, which is a brilliant example of the synthesis of these arts.

(3) In Great Britain the highest department and command organ of the naval forces; corresponds to a naval ministry. In 1690, as a board of temporary members of the Admiralty, it replaced the one-man leadership of the lord high admiral. Since 1869 the Admiralty has been headed by the first lord admiral, a naval minister to whom the admiralty council, made up of the highest naval officers, is subordinate.

REFERENCES

Sashonko, V. N. Admiralteistvo. Leningrad, 1965.
Siniaver, M. M. Admiralteistvo. Moscow-Leningrad, 1948 (Pamiatniki russkoi arkhitektury).

Admiralty

enUK
Related to Admiralty: Admiralty Island, Admiralty Metal, Admiralty jurisdiction

admiralty

n. concerning activities which occur at sea, including on small boats and ships innavigable bays. Admiralty law (maritime law) includes accidents and injuries at sea, maritime contracts and commerce, alleged violations of rules of the sea over shipping lanes and rights-of-way, and mutiny and other crimes on shipboard. Jurisdiction over all these matters rests in the Federal Courts, which do not use juries in admiralty cases. There are other special rules in processing maritime cases, which are often handled by admiralty law specialists. Lawyers appearing in admiralty cases are called "proctors." (See: maritime law)

ADMIRALTY. The name of a jurisdiction which takes cognizance of suits oractions which arise in consequence of acts done upon or relating to the sea;or, in other words, of all transactions and proceedings relative to commerceand navigation, and to damages or injuries upon the sea. 2 Gall. R. 468. Inthe great maritime nations of Europe, the term "admiralty jurisdiction,"is, uniformly applied to courts exercising jurisdiction over maritimecontracts and concerns. It is as familiarly known among the jurists ofScotland, France, Holland and Spain, as of England, and applied to their owncourts, possessing substantially the same jurisdiction as the EnglishAdmiralty had in the reign of Edward III. Ibid., and the authorities therecited; and see, also, Bac. Ab. Court of Admiralty; Merl. Repert. h.t.Encyclopedie, h.t.; 1 Dall. 323.
2. The Constitution of the United States has delegated to the courts ofthe national government cognizance "of all cases of admiralty and maritimejurisdiction;" and the act of September 24, 1789, ch. 20 s. 9, has given thedistrict court" cognizance of all civil causes of admiralty and maritimejurisdiction," including all seizures under laws of imposts, navigation ortrade of the United States, where the seizures are made on waters navigablefrom the sea, by vessels of ten or more tons burden, within their respectivedistricts, as well as upon the high seas.
3. It is not within the plan of this work to enlarge upon this subject.

admiralty

ad·mi·ral·ty

admiralty

ad•mi•ral•ty

Admiralty

Admiralty,

Admiralty

REFERENCES

Admiralty

admiralty

admiralty

Words related to admiralty

noun the department in charge of the navy (as in Great Britain)

Related Words

noun the office of admiral

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