Captain in merchant service, navigator in a warship

Was a sailing master the captain of a ship or its navigator?

A merchant master could be the vessel’s captain, while a Royal Navy sailing master was the specialist navigation officer who also trained junior officers.

The terminology matters when reconstructing William Brown’s early career. A qualified master in merchant service could command the vessel and therefore be its captain in practice. In a Royal Navy ship, the sailing master was the navigation specialist rather than the commissioned captain. The master also helped teach midshipmen navigation, alongside tutors who covered the wider education expected of future officers. This distinction raises questions about how later biographies translated Brown’s rank and experience.