The title post captain did not simply mean an officer who had reached captain's rank. The officer first needed an independent commission to command a vessel. Publication of that appointment in the London Gazette made the posting formal. A captain employed as a second captain or in a dockyard role could therefore remain unposted. The date mattered because it established seniority among captains and shaped access to later commands and promotion. This short explanation makes the administrative act behind a central Royal Navy career distinction visible.
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Post captains, the London Gazette, and seniority
A captain became a post captain through an independent command published in the London Gazette, fixing seniority and career prospects.