Admiral
the title of the highest rank of naval officer. The term is derived from the Arabic amîr, or emîr. In Great Britain, there were formerly three grades of admirals, commanding subdivisions, known as the red, the white, and the blue, from the colors of their flags, but this distinction is now abolished. In the Brtish navy, admirals are classified as admirals, vice-admirals, and rearadmirals, ranking respectively with generals, lieutenant-generals, and majorgenerals. These distinctions were adopted in the United States navy during the Civil War; the rank of rear-admiral being established in 1862, vice-admiral, in 1864, and admiral, in 1866, all created for Farragut. The first 9 rear-admirals rank with major-generals and the second 9 with brigadier-generals. Their pay on the retired list is 75 per cent. of active service pay. The flag of an admiral is rectangular blue with four white stars, flown at the main; that of a vice-admiral is the same shaped flag with three stars flown at the fore; that of the rear-admiral has two stars, flown from the mizzen.