[Pax]

Originally posted by Cheeze:
Wanderer, just to add to your post.

Even if the Turkish guy was a petty officer, as long as he was in command of the ship he is "the Captain".

When on a ship you command, as a Naval officer, you are indeed "Captain _____".

When going aboard another vessel, or being introduced while at an offshore place (say, an officer's club, or an Embassy, or whatever), youw ould be (for example) "Lieutenant _____, commanding the _______".

If you hold the ACTUAL, direct, rnak of captain, and go aboard a ship you do NOT command, you are given a "courtesy promotion" to the rank of Commodore. Why?

So that when, in a crisis, someone shouts out "Captain!" ... everyone knows who's being spoken to. The captain of THAT ship, and not the guest who happens to hold the -rank- of captain.

Or so this landlubber has been given to understand things, at any rate.

[ January 15, 2003, 07:03: Message edited by: Pax ]