Who appointed the Surgeon Steward on a ship?

The Surgeon Steward is appointed by the ship's surgeon. This position involves significant responsibilities related to medical care and administration onboard, making the surgeon the most qualified individual to make this appointment. The ship's surgeon typically has a comprehensive understanding of the crew's medical needs and the qualifications necessary for the role of Surgeon Steward, thereby ensuring that the appointment is made with due consideration of skills and training relevant to health care at sea.

The captain of the ship, while having overall command, does not typically involve themselves in specific medical staff appointments unless there's no surgeon available or in emergency situations. The first mate is primarily focused on the navigation and operation of the ship rather than personnel assignments in medical roles. The Naval Chief would not generally be involved in day-to-day appointments on specific vessels, as their responsibilities are more overarching concerning naval operations rather than executing appointments on individual ships.