The Admiralty developed an early version of a personnel or human-resources department. It tracked officers' careers and experience, required lieutenant examinations, and checked whether candidates had sufficient sea time. Seniority did not guarantee advancement if an officer lacked the prescribed experience. Deployment could also matter because an immediately available officer might be promoted for a command while another served overseas. These imperfect rules nevertheless created a repeatable professional method for managing the officer corps.
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Career records created professional promotion gates
Officer records, examinations, sea-time requirements, and availability for immediate command constrained patronage and seniority.