Private ship is a term used in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
to describe that status of a commissioned warship in active service that is not currently serving as the
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...
of a flag officer (i.e., an
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
or
commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (India), in India
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ' ...
).
[A straightforward definition of the term "private ship" used in the sense is difficult to find in common naval history literature, but see individual ships' operational histories in R. A. Burt's ''British Battleships 1889–1904'', among other books, for numerous uses of the term in the manner described here.] The term in no way implies any type of private ownership of the vessel, but is more akin to
private soldier.
Notes
References
* Burt, R. A. (1988). ''British Battleships 1889–1904''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. {{ISBN, 0-87021-061-0.
Royal Navy
Nautical terminology