Admiralty of England tipstaff

This is an Admiralty Oar tipstaff from the early 1800s. The oar, attached to the handle in the picture, is engraved "Admiralty of England". The bearer had the power of arrest and could serve and execute warrants. In addition, the oar allowed him to search and seize ships and call on the Royal Navy for assistance. Few tipstaffs granted the bearer as much power as this one.