TWENTY‑FOURTH Congress, Session II, Chapter 32, Vol. 5.

An Act to change the titles of certain officers in the navy.

          Sec. 1.  Be it enacted in the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, from and after the passage of this act, all "masters commandant" in the navy shall be taken to be, and shall be called "commanders," and all "sailingmasters" [sic] shall be taken to be, and shall be called "masters:" but such change of title shall not impair or in any way affect the rank, pay, or privileges, of any master commandant or sailingmaster now in the service; and should they receive new commissions or warrants, they shall respectively take rank from the date of their present commissions.

          Approved, March 3, 1837.