The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-08
THIRD EDITION
OBITUARY.
DEATH OF COMMODORE ROBERT f
STOCKTON.

STOCKTON.
PRINCETON, October s.--Commodore Robert F.
Stockton, formerly of the United States navy,
died at his residence in this city, about 10
o'clock last evening. His complaint was cholera
mOrbus, with which he was attacked on We'd
nesday last. His funeral will take place here on
Wednesday, at o'clock P. M.
COMMODORE ROBERT F. STOCKTON.
Robert Field Stockton was born at Princeton,
New Jersey in 1876. He was a grandson of Hon.
Richard Stockton OF the signers of the Declare
ton of Independence.
Robert f. Stockton entered the United states
Navy, while at college, in his fifteenth year.
midshipman, and was promoted to be Aid to Com.
modore Rodgers, on board the frigate President,
receiving honorable notice for galantry in several
battles, and in December 1914, he was promoted
to junior lieutenancy.
In 1916 he was sent to the Mediterranean in the
GuerrieTe, in the against Agiers, but was soon
transferred to the Spitfre, First Lieutenant, in
which he distinguished himself by boarding. with a
boats crew, an Algerne war.vessel In February,
1916 he was ordered to the Washington, the flag.
ship of Commodore Chauncey, cruising IN the Medr
tenranean, and subsequently he was transferred to
the Erie.
In 1921 he was sent back to the United States in
command of the Erie and was then order ed to the
coast of Africa with permission to aid the African
its settlement. Accompanied by Dr. Ayres the
agent of the Society he succeeded, with some dfli
Guilty, in obtaining from the native chiefs treaty
cedlng tract of land around Cape Mesurado, which
is the original territory Of the present Republic of
LIZ eria,
During his cruise on the African coast, Lieutenant
ockton captured q considerable number OF savers,
and Portuguese privateer, the Mariana Flora, OF
TWENTY-FIVE guns which had attacked him. This
vessel he sent to the United States, and series of
trials followed in the United States Courts as to the
propnety OF her capture Lieutenant stockton was
finally 1uStlfip0 the SuDrgme Court but the
was given up to Portugal as an act of comfy.
He also captured French SLAYER, VIII ch led to
long litigation, but was again justified by the
Supreme Court. On his return from the African
coast he was ordered to the West Indies, to break
up the nests of pirates preying upon our commerce
there, IN which enterprise he was completely sue.
ce-tiul
From 1926 to 1888 he was absent on leave from SER
vice, and remained principally at his home ut
Princeton.
During this period he took an active part in poll
tics in favor of Andrew Jackson. working IN the
three States OF Pennsylvania New York, and New
jersey, with wonoeru success, for the old hero of
New Orl ans, who wss his firm friend tie also in
terested himself extensively IN the internal improve
ment OF New Jersey.
as Flag Officer of the Ohio Commodore Hull's flag
ship; and IN 1889 was promoted to Post Captaincy,
great ATTENTION to naval gunnery, The construction
of steam engines, and nava! architecture, and
ment to construct a war steamer, after much
solicitation and only after the plans OF the depart
ment IN this line had al proved miserable failures
captain StocktOn's plans were new, and en-
braced designs which the naval contractors all
maintained could not be PRACTICALLY executed but
the steam sloop ot-war Princeton, commenced at
Philadelphia in 1912, and completed 1874
proved to be superior at that time TO any vessel
afoat, and has furnished substantially the model
for many of our most noted Government steam
ships Her speed and salIug qua tiles, her admira-
BILE model, the security of her motive power which
Ior the first time placed below the water-line
and her powerful armament, all attracted great
The unaccountabe explosion of one of her large
guns, at Washington, February 70 1874, LED to the
death of the Secretary OF the Navy the Secretary of
War, and three other distinguished men. Captain
Stockton seriously injured himself by the accl-
dent. A Naval Court OF Inquiry afterwards eXOne-
rat ed HIM from any blame In the matter either IN
the construction OF the gun or the management of
the firing,
in October 1s45 he was sent with reinforce
ment to the squadron operating on the Pacific
coast in the command of which he succeeded Com
mOdore Sloat, soon after his arrival at Monterey,
men, OF whom about 800 were sailors, and tine re-
malnder mostly American settlers OF the region, he
made conquest OF the whole OF California IN about
Sin months campaigning, and established over it
tire authority of the United States.
The collision between HIM and Brigadier- General
keal neY in relation to the right OF the supreme
command in California, was subsequently, made the
ubject OF cOurt.martial. Having been sustained
IN his right, Commodore Stockton established a Pro-
vIsIona Government and returned to the East
overland, in June, 1847.
in 1849 he resigned his commission in the Navy
In 1851 lie was elected to the United States Senate
where he procured the passage OF law abolishng
fogging in the Navy.
In 1868 he resgred his seat an the Senate, and re-
Commodore Stockton resided part of the time at
Princeton and during the winter IN onths generally
in Philadelpha, where ne mas many reiahVes and and
TASTE and he died in the possession OF considerable
wealth.
in 1861, and has several times been mentioned in
col nection with the nominations OF his party for
the position of Vice-Presdent of the United States.