National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-06
The Ocean octopod squntted on Dry
Land.

Land.
The substantial reason why Capt. John g.
Walker, Of the navy, chief Of the bureau of
navigation, and master OF all the eight
naval bureaus, wished and secured his re-
appointment and now seeks to be chief of
new and more pretentious bureau of per-
sonnet to be created by Congress, was that
he might avoid sea duty until he should be-
come a commodore that is, he never means
to go to sea again in command Of a ship,
and does mean to 60 as an acting rear ad
miral in command Of squadron.
The extent to which Capt. Walker has
obtained shore duty and shirked sea duty
is well known in the navy. He keeps the
records Of service and It is impossible for
any one except himself and his dupe to OBJ
tain access to them. They are, however,
about as follows: lie has had only five
months sea service MS a captain, in the old
Powhatan, doing easy and favorite duty
on our own coast. He has had only
thirteen years. sea service during
thirty-Ave years in the navy, but has
had seventeen years. shore duty. He
has been unemployed only five years
and three OF these were in the service OF
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy rail-
road, drawing pay from both the railroad
and the government. During the last
trcilty years he has had less than tUO years.
sea service, and during the last fifteen years
he has been anoat only fuc months.
In 1871 he became lighthouse inspector
and after three years became secretary Of
the lighthouse board In Washington, where
he remained for FIVE years. During that
service 1t is reported that he managed to
displace from the various lighthouse dis
tricts every naval officer senior in rank to
himself.
After his three years with the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy railroad he re-
turned to the Navy Department as chief of
the bureau of navigation, an Office secured
by Republican political influence from Iowa,
lie became at once greedy for power. lie
assumed the office Of detail, ard signed and
issued all the orders TO naval officers; he
took charge of the department library; he
established a pretentious office OF naval intel
ligence; heprohibited all naval officers from
communicating with the Secretary of the
navy COnCCIhluS tuclI uSSlgllueuJ 10 uulY,
Restrained and limited somewhat at one pc
Rod, he recovered and enlarged his power al
a later time by ignobly serving an unwor.
thy political purpose Of Democratic Sec.
Rotary. lie gathered around him in Wash
ington personal staff under his special
direct command, of sixty naval officers
from commodore to ensign to override his
! legitimate work, while he practically super.
seeded the Secretary of the Navy in the
general management Of the whole depart.
ment and he secured for four years more
and intends to remain In his present posi-
ton or a superior one until he Is promoted
to commodore. There is to be no more
sea service for him, except as an acting
rear admiral in command of Il squadron.
1t is, perhaps, wise that Capt. Walker has
reached this determination, having had
only his two years experience at sea in the
last twenty years and only FIVE months
practice at sea in the last fifteen years
| His last short service IN the Powhatau
which be ran aground, left in him no zeal
| for any further command Of a ship anoat
lie does not dare again to 60 to sea, the
responsible commander of a vessel. Secretary
| Whitney does not dare TO try to send him