and think of all the people who had an interest in their career, their successes and their fortunes - families, friends etc. It is not quite like football teams, but Britain was a nation at war on land and sea, and this was a way of keeping informed about what was happening.

Also, as promotion past the rank of Post Captain was purely by seniority, every man on the list (and it means just that - a list of men, in the chronological order they achieved the rank) would want to know eactly where he was on the list at any given time - a good cull of men above him might mean he got to Admiral a bit quicker!