, ▁and ▁a ▁former ▁appointment ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Royal ▁Navy . ▁ ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁In ▁British ▁naval ▁usage , ▁the ▁term ▁' port ▁adm iral ' ▁had ▁two ▁distinct ▁( and ▁somewhat ▁contradict ory ) ▁mean ings , ▁one ▁generic , ▁one ▁specific . ▁ ▁Gener ic ▁use ▁Histor ically , ▁' port ▁adm iral ' ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁generic ▁term ▁for ▁the ▁senior ▁naval ▁officer ▁having ▁authority ▁over ▁all ▁commission ed ▁ships ▁and ▁naval ▁personnel ▁station ed ▁at ▁a ▁particular ▁home ▁base ▁or ▁anch orage . ▁( Th ose ▁appointed ▁as ▁Flag ▁Offic ers ▁Command ing ▁or ▁Command ing - in - Ch ief ▁of ▁a ▁particular ▁area ▁or ▁Fle et ▁often ▁function ed ▁as ▁the ▁local ▁port ▁adm iral ▁in ▁this ▁sense .) ▁▁ ▁By ▁this ▁definition , ▁the ▁port ▁adm iral ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁o vers ight ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁D ock yard ▁( if ▁any ); ▁D ock y ards ▁( including ▁ships ▁laid ▁up ▁' in ▁ordinary ') ▁were ▁over seen ▁by ▁an ▁independent ▁official : ▁usually ▁a ▁resident ▁Commission er ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Navy ▁Board ▁( p rior ▁to ▁ 1 8 3 2 ) ▁or ▁an ▁Admir al - super int endent ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Admir alty ▁( 1 8 3 2 - 1 9 7 1 ). ▁The ▁distinction ▁is ▁seen ▁in ▁inform al ▁correspond ence ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁following , ▁dated ▁ 1 8 3 7 : ▁" The ▁Dev on port ▁reg atta ▁... ▁was ▁attended ▁by ▁the ▁Port -