What
Mystic Greg says:
Order in Council, No. 11-C.
At the Court at Osborne House, Isle of Wight,
The 4th day of August 1873.
Present: The Queen's most Excellent Majesty in Council.
Whereas there was this day read at the Board a memorial from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, dated the 1st of August 1873, in the words following, viz.:-
Whereas in Your Majesty's Order in Council of 22nd February 1870, governing the promotion and retirement of Flag Officers and others of Your Majesty's Fleet, clause six of section two appoints as follows:
1. Captains retired from that rank to be entitled to rise by seniority to the rank of Retired Rear-Admiral, if before retirement they had served the time to qualify them for promotion.
2. And whereas we are of opinion that this condition may be modified, we humbly propose to Your Majesty that the clause above recited be cancelled, and the following substituted:-
3. Captains who have been, or who may in future be, retired from the rank under Your Majesty's Order in Council of 22nd February 1870, to be entitled to rise by seniority to the rank of Retired Rear-Admiral if they have served three years as Captain in command of a Ship-of -War at sea.
More at info:
Navy List - June 1879