New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-07
THE LINE OF PROMOTION.
CHANGES CAUSED BY THE RETIREMENT OF


REARADMIRAL LUCE.
The retirement Of Rear-Admiral stephen B. Luce. Of
the Navy. on account of age limited BY Congress.
was one OF those happy incidents Ito all Of HIS uniorsl
In a Navy officers life Promotion In the Navy
means change that has long been wished for-nrst,
increase In the small salary received; chanD OF
quarters In many instances; another gold stripe and
bar Leaf, eagle star; and different duties. Every
death retirement resignation from the actfvs
list means the going up Of one number; hence 1t Is
natural that the junior officers are always delighted
when q vacancy occurs-exoept, Of course. by death.
The retirement of RearAdmiral Luce after moro than
fortyfye years OF actve and honorable service, upon
q salary of $500 year, gave a promotion 10 Com
mOdoro d. B. Harmony to the vacancy; Captain
James S. Ramsay, TO commodore; Commander William
T. Sampson, to captain acknowledgements r. B.
Bradford to commander; Lieutenant E. II. C. Leutze.
TO Observation-Disclosures Ensign John G. ouimby, 70
lieutenant
These promotions gave an increase of annual pay
Of from s4oo TO 81 900 in each Commodore Har
monys being the greatest, and tho total only $4,000
a year when at sea. In the case Of Commodore
Ramsey, he will never again DO ordered to
The command of a single ship, but may command
shore station squadron or be Bureau chief; Cap
tain sampson VIII command nothing loss than vessel
Of tho first rank as for instance, the Chicago Com
mander Bradford viii not DO expected ever again
TO be an executive officer second In command Of
vessel and live in tho wardroom, but win be tho
commander and live in his cabin. Lieutenant Com
nander Leutze (who ono Of the officers who went
to the Lena Delta for Commander De Longs body
will never again be watch officer, but may be Or
dered executive In command OF ship, and
Lieutenant Qulmby VIII be entitled in the future Is
quarters the wardroom, instead Of the mdshpmens
steerags where he has bunked and messed so many
years
RearAdmiral Luce will spend most Of the remaining
days Of his lto at his handsome Newport home, wkers
he IS. His last duty was tho command Of ths
North Atlanta Squadron, when he received from Gen.
era Legitlme, the Provisional President Of Hsyt. the
surrender of the American steamer Hayden Republic
He is also entitled TO the credit Of having compiled
one Of the best text books on seaananship, called
Luce's seamsnship" and also with having done
than almost any other officer In tho service 10
perfect the training system for Toys, and the naval
War College at Newport, for the improvements OF the
official personnel In the art Of Of which colegs
he was president so long
stephen d. Luce born in this city on March 70,
1897, and appointed TO the Naval Academy on
October 10, 1884, and attached to the Mediterranean
Squadron from 1912 TO 1645. He was promoted 70
passed midshpman on August 10, 1947 and served on
tho frlgate Columbus the Pacific Coast during the
Mexican War. He was promoted to master on sep
tember a. 1885. and 10 lieutenant on the following
day to ueutenan t-commander July 10, 1862; 10 COM
1879; to commodore November 20, 1881; TO rear
admiral on October o, 1855 AT the beginning OF the
Cvn War he attached to the frigate Wabash, and
fought with distinction a. the battle OF Hstteras
Inlet; and elso commanded the howitzer launch
Of the Wabash during the reconnaissance
In force, and tho engagements with the rcbes al
Port Royal Ferry by the combined military ana
naval forces.
For time in 1853 he was in command OF the Naval
Academy then at Newport. and was then ordered "a
the command Of the monitor NaatuSket. which vessel
was enjoyed with the Rebel forts Sumter and
Moultrte a number Of times. On January 8, 1885,
at mis- own request no reported to General sherman,
at savannah for duty in connection with the Army,
and after considerable difficulty got the monitor
Pontiac I'D the Savannah River. forty miles obove the
city and protected Shermsn's pontoon bridges nom
the Rebel gunbOats while General slocums wins
passed into South Carolina. This service was &C
knowledged by General Sherman
since the war Admiral Luce has had various CON-
Naval Academy at Annapolis. The last special duty
~ mnortance prior TO the Hayh troubles with which
admiral Luce charged was to LOOK after tho
interests Of American fishermen in Canadian waters.
r. viii he remembered that the Admiral, With tho
hest IN tentions In the world doubt issued circular
smhodyinc the views, not OF our Government but OF
~ chief FISHERY Oficer of the Dominion he also
bngan policy of social negotiations for tbs settle
msnt Of the fishery question which caused secretary
NSitney TO serd him peremptoFy instructions 10 dis
continue his diplomacy.