Much more might be observed on this occasion. It appears however by the general outline which we have sketched, that the office and duty of an admiral requires greater skill and more comprehensive abilities than is generally supposed necessary to the command of a naval armament. And that he ought to be duly qualified, at least in this kingdom, to assist at the councils of his sovereign, and enter into the enlarged system of protecting his country from an invasion by sea, or of meditating a descent on an enemy’s coast; as well as to improve navigation, and open new channels of commerce. For further particulars of his charge, see the articles ENGAGEMENT, LINE, SQUADRON. ADMIRAL _of the fleet_, the highest officer under the admiralty of Great-Britain: when he embarks on any expedition, he is distinguished by the union flag at the main-top-mast-head. _Vice_-ADMIRAL, _vice-Amiral_, the officer next in rank and command to admiral; his flag is displayed at the fore-top-mast-head. _Rear_-ADMIRAL, _contre-amiral_, _lieutenant-général des armées navales_, the officer next in rank and command to the vice-admiral, and who carries his flag at the mizen-top-mast-head. There are at present in England, besides the admiral of the fleet, three admirals of the white squadron, and four of the blue. Three vice-admirals of the red, three of the white, and four of the blue. Four rear-admirals of the red, four of the white, and five of the blue squadron: besides twenty-two rear-admirals that have carried no flag, who are superannuated upon half-pay. _Vice_-ADMIRAL is also a civil officer appointed by the lords-commissioners of the admiralty. There are several of these officers established in different parts of Great-Britain, with judges and marshals under them, for executing jurisdiction within their respective districts. Their decisions, however, are not final, an appeal lying to the court of admiralty in London. ADMIRALTY, _Amirauté_, the office of lord-high-admiral, whether discharged by one single person, or by joint commissioners, called Lords of the Admiralty. ADVICE-BOAT, _pacquet d’ avis_, a small vessel employed to carry expresses or orders with all possible dispatch. ADRIFT (from _a_ and _drift_, Sax.) the state of a ship or vessel broke loose from her moorings, and driven without controul at the mercy of the wind, seas, or current, or all of them together. AFLOAT, (_à flot_, Fr.) floating on the surface of the water: a ship is said to be _afloat_ when there is a volume of water under her bottom of sufficient depth to buoy her up from the ground. AFORE, _avant_, (_fore_, Sax.) all that part of a ship which lies forward, or near the stem. AFORE, as a preposition, likewise implies _further forward_, or nearer the prow; as, the manger stands _afore_ the fore-mast, i. e. further forward, or nearer the stem. In both these senses _afore_ is used in contradistinction to _abaft_. See the article ABAFT.