0 a rank in the British navy, and some other navies, for someone who is not an officer but is more experienced than an ordinary seaman:
She was the wife of Able Seaman Chapman.
At that time pay was £11 10s a month for able seamen and £12 for firemen.
He determined on adopting the nautical profession and undertook a number of voyages as apprentice, and as ordinary and able seaman, in cargo ships and on board whalers.
These figures are based on 27 years' service in the case of the chief petty officer and 22 in that of the able seaman.
I think he has selected the case of an able seaman with 22 years' service.
It is fair to say that an able seaman is skilled and trained.
There is no question of selecting the able seaman for an argument that he should have something different from what is in the scale.
