A & AS
Alterations and additions to the structure, rigging and equipment of a warship.


ALL FAIR AND ABOVE BOARD
A commonly used expression of nautical origin meaning "Utterly fair
nothing hidden". Things "above board" were on or above the upper deck and so
open for all to see.


THE ROYAL NAVAL ACADEMY
Because the King's Letter Boys (QV) were not in fact succeeding in learning
their profession at sea, as had originally been hoped, the RN Academy at
Portsmouth was opened in the Dockyard in the Summer of 1733, having been
authorised by an Order in Council dated 21st February 1729. It catered for 40
"young gentlemen" per annum (entering between ages thirteen and sixteen), but
did not catch on, and by 1773 its number of pupils had dropped to fifteen. King
George III thereupon tried to improve matters by reducing the entry age,
shortening the time under training and granting remission of fees for sons of
Naval officers. The title was changed in 1806 to the Royal Naval College,
buildings were enlarged to accommodate 70 pupils and the staff was increased.
It was not a success though, and was closed in 1837. Later, the buildings
became the Navigation School HMS DRYAD, familiarly known as "Nav
House". When the Navigation School moved to Wickham, the buildings were
used as the mess for officers on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief
Portsmouth.


ACID
Sailors' slang for sarcasm
used in the phrase "Don't come the old acid".


ACKERS
Naval slang name for any foreign currency. The word comes from Egypt,
where beggars use it when pleading for baksheesh (Piastres).


ACTING RABBIT
Baked meat pie.


ADMIRAL
The word itself is of Arabic origin (Emir-el-Bahr means Lord of the Seas). It
came to us through the French and first appears in English records at the end of
the 13th Century. Vice-Admiral came into use with the British about 1550,
Rear-Admiral about 1600 and Admiral of the Fleet at the end of the 17th
Century, apparently first being mentioned in an Order in Council of 1693,
dealing with the pay of Flag Officers.


LORD HIGH ADMIRAL
Until 1964, when the Admiralty merged with the other Service Ministries into
the new Ministry of Defence, the last holder of this title had been King William
IV, when Duke of Clarence about 1827. Queen Elizabeth II became Lord High
Admiral when the title was revived on 1st April 1964.


ADMIRAL OF THE PORT OF LONDON
Courtesy title for the Lord Mayor of London.


VICE - AND REAR ADMIRAL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
These titles originated after the union of England and Scotland in 1801. Prior to
then, as far back as the time of Henry VIII, there had been Vice-Admirals of
England. The Rear Admiral of the UK is deputy to the Vice-Admiral of the
UK. Briefly, the Vice-Admiral of the UK is the deputy of the Lord High
Admiral, whether that office is held by one person (e.g. King William IV) or by
a Board of Lords Commissioners (as it was until 1st April 1964). As the Board
or holder of the office is in effect continuous, the posts of Vice-Admiral and
Rear Admiral of the UK is a sinecure and has not always been filled.


HONORARY ADMIRALS AND LIEUTENANTS
It is still the custom to appoint foreigners to be honorary Admirals and
Lieutenants in the Royal Navy, but the award is made sparingly. It includes
King Frederik of Denmark, King Gustav of Sweden and King Olaf of Norway
(Admirals) and HRH Nicholas of Rumania, Charles of Belgium and Prince
Juan (Lieutenants). There is no precedent for such an award to a distinguished
foreign commoner. It is not impossible for holders to be deprived of the rank,
but this is exceptional and is a matter which has to be considered on the merits
of each case. A honorary Admiral of the Fleet or honorary Admiral, when
visiting HM ships or establishments in Naval uniform, may fly the
distinguishing flag of his rank should he desire to do so. When hoisted in the
presence of HM ships, the flag is to be saluted as for an Admiral of the Fleet or
Admiral (QR para 1208). It costs the Navy Department nothing to bestow the
honour.


THE BOARD OF ADMIRALTY
The Board of Admiralty was in existence from 1708. It consisted of eleven
members and was served by the Admiralty Divisions of the Naval Staff and by
the Admiralty Departments. The Divisions dealt with operative and technical
policy, the Departments with the manning of ships and establishments, the
provision of ships, aircraft, munitions, weapons, stores, fuel and other goods,
equipment and reserve forces, the general organisation and administration of
fleets and establishments and the accounting and administration of the moneys
voted by Parliament for the purpose. The eleven members of the Board were
First Lord, Parliamentary and Financial Secretary, Civil Lord, Permanent
Secretary, First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Sea Lords, Vice-Chief of
Naval Staff and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.


THE ADMIRALTY BUILDINGS
In Pepys's time the Admiralty Office was the instrument of the Lord High
Admiral and the Navy Board carried out its orders. The Admiralty Office did
its business in a succession of buildings - the old Palace of Whitehall, Derby
House, Whitehall again, Pepys's own house in York Buildings and a house in
Duke Street previously occupied by the notorious Judge Jeffreys. In 1695
William III moved the Admiralty Office to Wallingford House in Whitehall
after that building has been demolished and rebuilt and (in 1722) demolished
again, and on its site the nucleus of the present block of buildings was built.
This is what is now known as "Old Building". The Lords of the Admiralty
moved in September 1725, but it was not till 1870 that the whole staff of the
Navy Office had been transferred from Somerset House. Ripley was the
architect of the building and Robert Adams of the screen before Main
Courtyard. West Block was completed in 1895. The wrought iron and bronze
gates in Admiralty Arch, across the Mall, were designed by Sir Aston Webb
and are the largest of their kind in the British Isles. The Admiralty was built in
1910.


ADRIFT
This is the accepted Naval word for anyone or anything that cannot be found
when it is wanted.


ALL STANDING
To bring a person or thing up "ALL STANDING" is to bring him or it to a
sudden, unexpected stop.


TO SWALLOW THE ANCHOR
To leave the Navy for good - implying that one has no further use for the
implement one has for so long trusted.


ANDREW MILLER OR THE ANDREW
Slang name for the Royal Navy. It comes from a very zealous Press Gang
officer of the name of Andrew Miller, of whom it was commonly said that he
pressed so many men into the Navy that it was practically his own property.


AVAST
Avast! means Hold! Enough! Finish! It comes from the Italian word "Basta".


AWNING
(a) Canvas cover over quarter-deck and other open spaces in ships as protection
against the sun.


(b) Sailor's slang name for the pastry top to a pie.


AYE AYE
The derivation of this is generally thought to be unknown, but some experts
think it may possibly come from the German "Eiey!" - an exclamation of
astonishment or admiration.