Commanders-in-Chief, 1830-1899 (original) (raw)
Principal Commanders-in-chief, 1830-1899
Principal Commanders-in-chief, 1830-1899
► Royal Navy ► Personnel
Portsmouth Devonport The Nore Channel squadron Mediterranean North America South America Pacific East Indies and China China East Indies and Cape of Good Hope East Indies Australia Cape of Good Hope and west coast of Africa
| Portsmouth | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Admiral | Thomas | Foley | 23 April 1830 | 23 January 1833 | |
| Admiral | Thomas | Williams | 23 January 1833 | 28 March 1836 | |
| Admiral | Philip Charles Calderwood Henderson | Durham | 28 March 1836 | 19 April 1839 | |
| Admiral | Charles Elphinstone | Fleeming | 19 April 1839 | 22 November 1839 | |
| Admiral | Edward | Codrington | 22 November 1839 | 26 December 1842 | |
| Admiral | Charles | Rowley | 26 December 1842 | 30 September 1845 | |
| Admiral | Charles | Ogle | 30 September 1845 | 13 September 1848 | |
| Admiral | Thomas Bladen | Capell | 13 September 1848 | 30 September 1851 | |
| Admiral | Thomas | Briggs | 13 September 1851 | 18 December 1852 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Thomas John | Cochrane | 18 December 1852 | 1 January 1856 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Francis | Seymour | 1 January 1856 | 1 March 1859 | Adm. 14 May 1857 |
| Admiral | William | Bowles | 1 March 1859 | 1 March 1860 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry William | Bruce | 1 March 1860 | 1 March 1863 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Michael | Seymour | 1 March 1863 | 1 March 1866 | Adm. 5 March 1864 |
| Vice-Admiral | Thomas Sabine | Pasley | 1 March 1866 | 25 February 1869 | Adm. 20 November 1866 |
| Vice-Admiral | James | Hope | 25 February 1869 | 1 March 1872 | Adm. 21 January 1870 |
| Admiral | George Rodney | Mundy | 1 March 1872 | 1 March 1875 | |
| Admiral | George Augustus | Elliot | 1 March 1875 | 1 March 1878 | |
| Admiral | Edward Gennys | Fanshawe | 1 March 1878 | 27 November 1879 | |
| Admiral | Alfred Phillipps | Ryder | 27 November 1879 | 28 November 1882 | |
| Admiral | Geoffrey Thomas Phipps | Hornby | 28 November 1882 | 28 November 1885 | |
| Admiral | George Ommanney | Willes | 28 November 1885 | 20 June 1888 | |
| Admiral | John Edmund | Commerell | 20 June 1888 | 22 June 1891 | |
| Admiral | Richard James, 4th Earl of | Clanwilliam | 22 June 1891 | 22 June 1894 | |
| Admiral | Nowell | Salmon | 22 June 1894 | 3 August 1897 | |
| Admiral | Michael | Culme-Seymour | 3 August 1897 | 3 October 1900 | |
| Devonport | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Admiral | Manley | Dixon | 22 April 1830 | 27 April 1833 | |
| Admiral | William | Hargood | 27 April 1833 | 27 April 1836 | |
| Admiral | Lord Amelius | Beauclerk | 27 April 1836 | 24 April 1839 | |
| Admiral | Graham | Moore | 24 April 1839 | 21 April 1842 | |
| Admiral | David | Milne | 21 April 1842 | 15 April 1845 | |
| Admiral | John | West | 15 April 1845 | 17 April 1848 | |
| Admiral | William Hall | Gage | 17 April 1848 | 17 April 1851 | |
| Admiral | John Acworth | Ommanney | 17 April 1851 | 1 May 1854 | |
| Admiral | William | Parker | 1 May 1854 | 4 May 1857 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Barrington | Reynolds | 4 May 1857 | 8 June 1860 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Arthur | Fanshawe | 8 June 1860 | 11 October 1860 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Houston | Stewart | 11 October 1860 | 27 October 1863 | Adm. 10 November 1862 |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles Howe | Fremantle | 27 October 1863 | 26 October 1866 | Adm. 9 February 1864 |
| Admiral | William Fanshawe | Martin | 26 October 1866 | 1 November 1869 | |
| Admiral | Henry John | Codrington | 1 November 1869 | 1 November 1872 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry | Keppel | 1 November 1872 | 1 November 1875 | |
| Admiral | Thomas Matthew Charles | Symonds | 1 November 1875 | 1 November 1878 | |
| Admiral | Arthur | Farquhar | 1 November 1878 | 9 January 1880 | |
| Admiral | Charles Gilbert John Brydone | Elliot | 9 January 1880 | 1 December 1881 | |
| Admiral | William Houston | Stewart | 1 December 1881 | 1 December 1884 | |
| Admiral | Augustus | Phillimore | 1 December 1884 | 25 May 1887 | |
| Admiral | Lord John | Hay | 25 May 1887 | 15 December 1888 | |
| Admiral | William Montagu | Dowell | 15 December 1888 | 4 August 1890 | |
| Admiral | H.R.H. the Duke of | Edinburgh | 4 August 1890 | 2 June 1893 | |
| Admiral | Algernon McLennan | Lyons | 2 June 1893 | 10 June 1896 | |
| Admiral | Edmund Robert | Fremantle | 10 June 1896 | 10 June 1899 | |
| Admiral | Henry | Fairfax | 10 June 1899 | 20 March 1900 | Died in commission |
| The Nore | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Vice-Admiral | John Poo | Beresford | 30 July 1830 | 23 July 1833 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Richard | King | 23 July 1833 | 16 August 1834 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles Elphinstone | Fleeming | 16 August 1834 | 23 February 1837 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Robert Waller | Otway | 23 February 1837 | 27 July 1840 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry | Digby | 27 July 1840 | 8 December 1841 | Adm. 23 November 1841 |
| Vice-Admiral | Edward | Brace | 8 December 1841 | 13 January 1844 | |
| Vice-Admiral | John Chambers | White | 13 January 1844 | 18 April 1845 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Edward Durnford | King | 18 April 1845 | 9 May 1848 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George | Elliot | 9 May 1848 | 23 June 1851 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Josceline | Percy | 23 January 1851 | 1 July 1854 | |
| Vice-Admiral | William | Gordon | 1 July 1854 | 1 July 1857 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Edward | Harvey | 1 July 1857 | 28 June 1860 | Adm. 9 June 1860 |
| Vice-Admiral | William James Hope | Johnstone | 28 June 1860 | 25 June 1863 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Robert | Lambert | 25 June 1863 | 1 March 1864 | Adm. 15 December 1863 |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles | Talbot | 1 March 1864 | 5 April 1866 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Baldwin Wake | Walker | 5 April 1866 | 5 April 1869 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Richard Laird | Warren | 5 April 1869 | 1 July 1870 | Adm. 1 April 1870 |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles Gilbert John Brydone | Elliot | 1 July 1870 | 11 February 1873 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Fowler | Hastings | 11 February 1873 | 14 February 1876 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry | Chads | 14 February 1876 | 17 September 1877 | |
| Vice-Admiral | William King | Hall | 17 September 1877 | 4 August 1879 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Reginald John James George | Macdonald | 4 August 1879 | 21 July 1882 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Edward Bridges | Rice | 21 July 1882 | 30 October 1884 | |
| Vice-Admiral | John | Corbett | 30 October 1884 | 1 July 1885 | Adm. 7 April 1885 |
| Vice-Admiral | H.S.H. Ernest L.V.C.A.J.E. Prince of | Leiningen | 1 July 1885 | 1 July 1887 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles Ludovic Darley | Waddilove | 1 July 1887 | 2 July 1888 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Thomas Bridgeman | Lethbridge | 2 July 1888 | 4 August 1890 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles Thomas | Curme | 4 August 1890 | 19 February 1892 | Died in commission |
| Vice-Admiral | Algernon Charles Fieschi | Heneage | 27 February 1892 | 10 December 1894 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Richard | Wells | 10 December 1894 | 10 June 1896 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry Frederick | Nicholson | 10 June 1896 | 10 December 1897 | Adm. 16 September 1897 |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles Frederick | Hotham | 10 December 1897 | 13 July 1899 | |
| Channel squadron | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Rear-Admiral | Charles Howe | Fremantle | 13 July 1858 | 10 October 1860 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Robert Fanshawe | Stopford | 10 October 1860 | 29 January 1861 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Robert | Smart | 29 January 1861 | 24 April 1863 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Sydney Colpoys | Dacres | 24 April 1863 | June 1866 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Hastings Reginald | Yelverton | June 1866 | 1 May 1867 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Frederick | Warden | 1 May 1867 | 12 December 1868 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Thomas Matthew Charles | Symonds | 12 December 1868 | 18 July 1870 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Hastings Reginald | Yelverton | 18 July 1870 | 25 October 1870 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Greville | Wellesley | 25 October 1870 | 2 September 1871 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Geoffrey Thomas Phipps | Hornby | 2 September 1871 | 1 October 1874 | Vice-Adm. Jan. 1, 1875 |
| Rear-Admiral | Frederick Beauchamp Paget | Seymour | 1 October 1874 | 10 November 1877 | Vice-Adm. Dec. 31, 1876 |
| Rear-Admiral | Lord John | Hay | 10 November 1877 | 10 December 1879 | Vice-Adm. Dec. 31, 1877 |
| Rear-Admiral | Arthur William Acland | Hood | 10 December 1879 | 17 April 1882 | Vice-Adm. Jul. 23, 1880 |
| Vice-Admiral | William Montagu | Dowell | 17 April 1882 | 3 December 1883 | |
| Vice-Admiral | H.R.H. the Duke of | Edinburgh | 3 December 1883 | December 1884 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Algernon Frederick Rous | de Horsey | December 1884 | May 1885 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles | Fellowes | May 1885 | 8 March 1886 | Died in commission |
| Vice-Admiral | William Nathan Wrighte | Hewett | 18 March 1886 | 17 April 1888 | |
| Vice-Admiral | John Kennedy Erskine | Baird | 17 April 1888 | 3 May 1890 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Michael | Culme-Seymour | 3 May 1890 | 10 May 1892 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry | Fairfax | 10 May 1892 | 27 May 1895 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Lord Walter Talbot | Kerr | 27 May 1895 | 7 June 1897 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry Frederick | Stephenson | 7 June 1897 | 20 December 1898 | |
| Mediterranean | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Vice-Admiral | Henry | Hotham | 30 March 1831 | 3 May 1833 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Pulteney | Malcolm | 3 May 1833 | 18 December 1833 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Josias | Rowley | 18 December 1833 | 9 February 1837 | |
| Admiral | Robert | Stopford | 9 February 1837 | 14 October 1841 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Edward William Campbell Rich | Owen | 14 October 1841 | 27 February 1845 | |
| Vice-Admiral | William | Parker | 27 February 1845 | 17 January 1852 | |
| Rear-Admiral | James Whitley Deans | Dundas | 17 January 1852 | 1854 | Vice-Adm. 17 December 1852 |
| Rear-Admiral | Edmund | Lyons | 1854 | 22 February 1858 | Vice-Adm. 19 March 1857 |
| Vice-Admiral | Arthur | Fanshawe | 22 February 1858 | 19 April 1860 | |
| Vice-Admiral | William Fanshawe | Martin | 19 April 1860 | 20 April 1863 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Robert | Smart | 20 April 1863 | 28 April 1866 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Lord Clarence Edward | Paget | 28 April 1866 | 28 April 1869 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Alexander | Milne | 28 April 1869 | 25 October 1870 | Adm. 1 April 1870 |
| Vice-Admiral | Hastings Reginald | Yelverton | 25 October 1870 | 13 January 1874 | |
| Vice-Admiral | James Robert | Drummond | 13 January 1874 | 15 January 1877 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Geoffrey Thomas Phipps | Hornby | 15 January 1877 | 5 February 1880 | Adm. 15 June 1879 |
| Vice-Admiral | Frederick Beauchamp Paget | Seymour | 5 February 1880 | 7 February 1883 | Adm. May 6, 1882 |
| Vice-Admiral | Lord John | Hay | 7 February 1883 | 5 February 1886 | Adm. 8 July 1884 |
| Vice-Admiral | H.R.H. the Duke of | Edinburgh | 5 February 1886 | 11 March 1889 | Adm. Oct. 18, 1887 |
| Vice-Admiral | Anthony Hiley | Hoskins | 11 March 1889 | 20 August 1891 | Adm. 20 June 1891 |
| Vice-Admiral | George | Tryon | 20 August 1891 | 22 June 1893 | Died in commission; lost in Victoria |
| Admiral | Michael | Culme-Seymour | 29 June 1893 | 10 November 1896 | |
| Admiral | John Ommanney | Hopkins | 10 November 1896 | 1 July 1899 | |
| North America | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Vice-Admiral | Edward Griffith | Colpoys | 20 February 1830 | 6 December 1832 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George | Cockburn | 6 December 1832 | 12 February 1836 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Peter | Halkett | 12 February 1836 | 11 February 1837 | Adm. 10 January 1837 |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles | Paget | 11 February 1837 | 27 January 1839 | Died in commission |
| Vice-Admiral | Thomas | Harvey | 22 March 1839 | 28 May 1841 | Died in commission |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles | Adam | 17 August 1841 | 27 December 1844 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Francis William | Austen | 27 December 1844 | 12 January 1848 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Thomas, Earl of | Dundonald | 12 January 1848 | 13 January 1851 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Francis | Seymour | 13 January 1851 | 23 November 1853 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Arthur | Fanshawe | 23 November 1853 | 26 November 1856 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Houston | Stewart | 26 November 1856 | 13 January 1860 | Vice-Adm. 30 July 1857 |
| Rear-Admiral | Alexander | Milne | 13 January 1860 | 7 January 1864 | |
| Vice-Admiral | James | Hope | 7 January 1864 | 10 January 1867 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Rodney | Mundy | 10 January 1867 | 30 June 1869 | Adm. 26 May 1869 |
| Vice-Admiral | George Greville | Wellesley | 30 June 1869 | 13 September 1870 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Edward Gennys | Fanshawe | 13 September 1870 | 9 September 1873 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Greville | Wellesley | 9 September 1873 | 22 December 1875 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Astley Cooper | Key | 22 December 1875 | 1 April 1878 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Edward Augustus | Inglefield | 1 April 1878 | 27 November 1879 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Francis Leopold | McClintock | 27 November 1879 | 7 November 1882 | |
| Vice-Admiral | John Edmund | Commerell | 7 November 1882 | 25 August 1885 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Richard James, 4th Earl of | Clanwilliam | 25 August 1885 | 4 September 1886 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Algernon McLennon | Lyons | 4 September 1886 | 15 December 1888 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Willes | Watson | 15 December 1888 | 15 December 1891 | |
| Vice-Admiral | John Ommanney | Hopkins | 15 December 1891 | 17 April 1895 | |
| Vice-Admiral | James Elphinstone | Erskine | 17 April 1895 | 15 September 1897 | |
| Vice-Admiral | John Arbuthnot | Fisher | 15 September 1897 | 1 May 1899 | |
| South America (renamed Pacific in 1837) | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Rear-Admiral | Thomas | Baker | 9 January 1829 | January 1833 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Michael | Seymour | 1 January 1833 | 9 July 1834 | Died in commission |
| Rear-Admiral | Graham Eden | Hamond | 16 September 1834 | 4 September 1837 | Vice-Adm. 10 January 1837 |
| Pacific | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Rear-Admiral | Charles Bayne Hodgson | Ross | 4 September 1837 | 5 May 1841 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Richard | Thomas | 5 May 1841 | 14 May 1844 | |
| Rear-Admiral | George Francis | Seymour | 14 May 1844 | 25 August 1847 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Phipps | Hornby | 25 August 1847 | 21 August 1850 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Fairfax | Moresby | 21 August 1850 | 17 August 1853 | |
| Rear-Admiral | David | Price | 17 August 1853 | 30 August 1854 | Died in commission |
| Rear-Admiral | Henry William | Bruce | 25 November 1854 | 8 July 1857 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Robert Lambert | Baynes | 8 July 1857 | 5 May 1860 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Thomas | Maitland | 5 May 1860 | 31 October 1862 | |
| Rear-Admiral | John | Kingcome | 31 October 1862 | 10 May 1864 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Joseph | Denman | 10 May 1864 | 21 November 1866 | |
| Rear-Admiral | George Fowler | Hastings | 21 November 1866 | 1 November 1869 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Arthur | Farquhar | 1 November 1869 | 9 July 1872 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Charles Farrel | Hillyar | 9 July 1872 | 6 June 1873 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Arthur Auckland Leopold Pedro | Cochrane | 6 June 1873 | 15 April 1876 | |
| Rear-Admiral | George | Hancock | 15 April 1876 | August 1876 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Algernon Frederick Rous | de Horsey | 20 September 1876 | 21 July 1879 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Frederick Henry | Stirling | 21 July 1879 | 10 December 1881 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Algernon McLennan | Lyons | 10 December 1881 | 13 September 1884 | |
| Rear-Admiral | John Kennedy Erskine | Baird | 13 September 1884 | 4 July 1885 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Michael | Culme-Seymour | 4 July 1885 | 20 September 1887 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Algernon Charles Fieschi | Heneage | 20 September 1887 | 4 February 1890 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Charles Frederick | Hotham | 4 February 1890 | 4 May 1893 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Henry Frederick | Stephenson | 4 May 1893 | 19 June 1896 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Henry St. Leger Bury | Palliser | 19 June 1896 | 22 June 1899 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Lewis Anthony | Beaumont | 22 June 1899 | 15 October 1900 | |
| East Indies and China (separated 17 January 1865) | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Vice-Admiral | John | Gore | 16 December 1831 | 30 May 1834 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Thomas Bladen | Capell | 30 May 1834 | 26 July 1837 | Vice-Adm. 10 January 1837 |
| Rear-Admiral | Frederick Lewis | Maitland | 26 July 1837 | 30 December 1830 | Died in commission |
| Commodore | James John Gordon | Bremer | 17 January 1840 | 7 July 1840 | |
| Rear-Admiral | George | Elliot | 7 July 1840 | 30 November 1840 | |
| Commodore | James John Gordon | Bremer | 30 November 1840 | 7 October 1841 | |
| Rear-Admiral | William | Parker | 12 May 1841 | 1844 | Vice-Adm. 23 November 1841 |
| Rear-Admiral | Thomas John | Cochrane | 1844 | 24 June 1846 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Samuel Hood | Inglefield | 24 June 1846 | 7 April 1848 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Francis Augustus | Collier | 7 April 1848 | 28 October 1849 | Died in commission |
| Rear-Admiral | Charles John | Austen | 14 January 1850 | 7 October 1852 | Died in commission |
| Rear-Admiral | Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds | Pellew | 6 December 1852 | 19 January 1854 | Vice-Adm. 22 April 1853 |
| Rear-Admiral | James | Stirling | 19 January 1854 | 18 February 1856 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Michael | Seymour | 18 February 1856 | 25 January 1859 | |
| Rear-Admiral | James | Hope | 25 January 1859 | 8 February 1862 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Augustus Leopold | Kuper | 8 February 1862 | 15 February 1864 | |
| Rear-Admiral | George St. Vincent | King | 15 February 1864 | 17 January 1865 | |
| China (established 17 January 1865) | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Rear-Admiral | George St. Vincent | King | 17 January 1865 | 18 January 1867 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry | Keppel | 18 January 1867 | 17 July 1869 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Henry | Kellett | 17 July 1869 | 30 August 1871 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles Frederick Alexander | Shadwell | 30 August 1871 | 31 August 1874 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Alfred Phillipps | Ryder | 31 August 1874 | 31 August 1877 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Charles Farrel | Hillyar | 31 August 1877 | 26 September 1878 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Robert | Coote | 26 September 1878 | 3 January 1881 | |
| Vice-Admiral | George Ommanney | Willes | 3 January 1881 | 3 January 1884 | |
| Vice-Admiral | William Montagu | Dowell | 3 January 1884 | 1 September 1885 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Richard Vesey | Hamilton | 1 September 1885 | 17 December 1887 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Nowell | Salmon | 17 December 1887 | 29 November 1890 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Frederick William | Richards | 29 November 1890 | 16 February 1892 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Edmund Robert | Fremantle | 16 February 1892 | 28 May 1895 | |
| Vice-Admiral | Alexander | Buller | 28 May 1895 | 19 February 1898 | |
| East Indies and Cape of Good Hope (established 17 January 1865) | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Commodore | Frederick Byng | Montresor | 17 January 1865 | 26 September 1865 | |
| Commodore | Charles Farrel | Hillyar | 26 September 1865 | 29 July 1867 | |
| East Indies (Cape of Good Hope restored to separate command in 1867) | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Commodore | Leopold George | Heath | 29 July 1867 | 6 September 1870 | |
| Rear-Admiral | James Horsford | Cockburn | 6 September 1870 | 10 February 1872 | Died in commission |
| Rear-Admiral | Arthur | Cumming | 14 February 1872 | 4 March 1875 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Reginald John James George | Macdonald | 4 March 1875 | 2 April 1877 | |
| Rear-Admiral | John | Corbett | 2 April 1877 | 4 August 1879 | |
| Rear-Admiral | William | Gore-Jones | 4 August 1879 | 11 April 1882 | |
| Rear-Admiral | William Nathan Wrighte | Hewett | 11 April 1882 | 18 May 1885 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Frederick William | Richards | 18 May 1885 | 25 February 1888 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Edmund Robert | Fremantle | 25 February 1888 | 26 February 1891 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Frederick Charles Bryan | Robinson | 26 February 1891 | 26 January 1892 | |
| Rear-Admiral | William Robert | Kennedy | 26 January 1892 | 16 March 1895 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Edmund Charles | Drummond | 16 March 1895 | 15 January 1898 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Archibald Lucius | Douglas | 15 January 1898 | 5 June 1899 | |
| Australia (established 26 March 1859) | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Commodore | William | Loring | 26 March 1859 | 10 March 1860 | |
| Commodore | Frederick Beauchamp Paget | Seymour | 10 March 1860 | 21 July 1862 | |
| Commodore | William Farquharson | Burnett | 21 July 1862 | 7 February 1863 | Lost in Orpheus |
| Commodore | William Saltonstall | Wiseman | 20 April 1863 | 23 May 1866 | |
| Commodore | Rochfort | Maguire | 23 May 1866 | 28 May 1867 | |
| Commodore | Rowley | Lambert | 28 May 1867 | 8 April 1870 | |
| Commodore | Frederick Henry | Stirling | 8 April 1870 | 22 May 1873 | |
| Commodore | James Graham | Goodenough | 22 May 1873 | 20 August 1875 | Died in commission |
| Commodore | Anthony Hiley | Hoskins | 7 September 1875 | 12 September 1878 | |
| Commodore | John Crawford | Wilson | 12 September 1878 | 21 January 1882 | |
| Commodore | James Elphinstone | Erskine | 21 January 1882 | 12 November 1884 | |
| Rear-Admiral | George | Tryon | 12 November 1884 | 1 February 1887 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Henry | Fairfax | 1 February 1887 | 10 September 1889 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Lord Charles Thomas Montagu Douglas | Scott | 10 September 1889 | 12 September 1892 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Nathaniel | Bowden-Smith | 12 September 1892 | 1 November 1894 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Cyprian Arthur George | Bridge | 1 November 1894 | 1 November 1897 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Hugo Lewis | Pearson | 1 November 1897 | 1 October 1900 | |
| Cape of Good Hope and west coast of Africa (between 1864 and 1867 part of East Indies command) | |||||
| Commander-in-chief | From | To | Note | ||
| Rear-Admiral | Frederick William | Grey | 1 April 1857 | 10 February 1860 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Henry | Keppel | 10 February 1860 | 6 February 1861 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Baldwin Wake | Walker | 6 February 1861 | 17 January 1865 | |
| Commodore | William Montagu | Dowell | 9 September 1867 | 16 February 1871 | |
| Commodore | John Edmund | Commerell | 16 February 1871 | 2 October 1873 | |
| Commodore | William Nathan Wrighte | Hewett | 2 October 1873 | 16 October 1876 | |
| Commodore | Francis William | Sullivan | 16 October 1876 | 17 March 1879 | |
| Commodore | Frederick William | Richards | 17 March 1879 | 11 April 1882 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Nowell | Salmon | 11 April 1882 | 6 March 1885 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Walter James | Hunt-Grubbe | 6 March 1885 | 29 March 1888 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Richard | Wells | 29 March 1888 | 1 September 1890 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Henry Frederick | Nicholson | 1 September 1890 | 10 August 1892 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Frederick George Denham | Bedford | 10 August 1892 | 4 May 1895 | |
| Rear-Admiral | Harry Holdsworth | Rawson | 4 May 1895 | 27 April 1898 |
