Admiralty Office

the office of admiralty affairs; the central state institution concerned with the construction, armament, and supply of the Russian fleet at the beginning of the 18th century. The Admiralty Court (Dvor) arose in Voronezh in 1696 under the auspices of the Vladimir Ship Office; with the liquidation of the latter, admiralty and ship affairs were transferred in 1700 to F. M. Apraksin, under whom the Admiralty Office was formed. In 1712 the main functions of the Admiralty Office were transferred to the Military-Naval Chancellery in Petersburg, and the Admiralty Office itself was turned into its supply body—the Moscow Admiralty Office.