New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-17
NOTES FROM THE NAVY YARD
FOJTR OFFICERS WHO MAY FLY IRE
ADMIRALS REMNANT.
FINE POINT OF NAVAL ETIoUETTE-INTEREsI
IN THE INVENTOR ERICssoN-A MEMO
RIAL FROM BRAZIL

IN THE INVENTOR ERIcssoN-A MEMO
RIAL FROM BRAZIL
Much interest has been manifest during 'Ic
last few days concerning the presence IN chesc
waters at one and the same time OF four oIicele
entitled to fly the Admirals pennant Ana huch
hat has been published has been amusing 10
Navy officers especially that concerning the rank
Of the officers. For instance, one OF the wfl'ei'
contended that Acting Rear-Admral McCahh WAS
the ranking flag officer, when in TACT lie Is d
commodore, and for the time being IS an ac'lhs
rcar-admiral. The same article said that Actihs
Rear-Admiral Walker was next in rank 10 Rear
Admiral Gherardi although he is the junior OF l'lo
! four. Then, too some writers nave dlsPl"Seu
much ignorance about the distinctive pehh"ii'''
The four flag officers entitled to fly the pchiaho
of rear-admiral are, in order OF rank, as lolo"'
Rear Admiral Bancroft Gherardi, commahdahU oi
the North Atlantic Squadron. who is entitled to
| ny the blue pennant By virtue OF seniority
Rear-Admiral D. L. Braine, commandant of the
station. and second in rank, who flies the red
peuuant on the receiving ship Vermont; Acting
! Rear-Admral William p McCann, cOmmandant
Of the South Atlantic Squadron who is entitled
10 fv the white pennant on the flagship Pensacola;
| and Acting Rear Admiral John g. Walker, com
mandant Of the Squadron of Evolution. who flies
the blue or senior pennant on the Chicago, Eecaise
his vessel is not within sight or signal distance
of any Of the other flag vessels The pennant
| is a small square flag with two stars on 1t, ana
! is always carried at the mzzen.
! The interesting feature about seniority is that
should the Chicago 20 TO the Navy Yard to-day
Acting Rear-Admiral Walker would have 10 change
from the blue 20 the white or junior pennant'
Another feature is that should Acting Rear
Admiral McCann take MS flagship within signal
distance Of the Chicago, or 20 to make call upon
Acting Rear Admiral Walker, he would hoist the
blue pennant. and the red pennant. denotlng
second in rank, would have 10 20 up to the
mizzen Of the Chicago in place Of the blue
one And should Rear-Admiral Gherard
| 90 around TO the North River while Acting Rear
Animals Mccain and Walker there, the Pen
sacola would have 10 replace her blue pennant by
\ red one and the Chcagos pennant would have
to give way to a white one. 80 the speculatlons
about rank among flag officers az this station az
present are interesting al the breakfast and dlh-
| ner tables on board OF ship.
Since the revival of the memory of Captain
Ericsson in connection with the sending of his
body TO Sweden, much interest has been given 10
the iron torpedo-boat Destroyer, To which Cap
tain Ericsson devoted the energies OF
the last seven years of his die, and
upon the successful completion of which
he hoped 10 achieve success second only 10 that
Of the Monitor. ~ few weeks before his death
the old inventor said with regard 10 his boat:
Ny life-work is 30 provide means of defence
for New-York Harbor" He based much hope
upon the Destroyer thought of nothing else, and
worked for no other object with such intense IN
torest. And so loyal WAS lie that when an offer
came 70 him from foreign Government to pur-
/ tfo bo off IN
ri his adopted Government had the preference.
This boat may be said have been the practical
fr.eiuning Of the idea that to-day governs many
NJ the so-caled pneumatic guns. Several changes
have been made in the mechanism OF the vessel
and n model is now building which VIII govern
I'm. ore 10 Ike adopted by the Government.
The Navy Yard is full of vessels, and work
men. and various Jobs of work there are vessels
in all different stages of completion both OF CON
struction and reconstruction, and tie ships range
from the newest To some Of the oldest types
The Enterprise. which has been repaired and
ovcrhauled NJ the Navy Yard. is at length almost
ready for sea there are now some odds ana ends
70 I've lone to make her ready 70 leave the Natu'
and she will probably leave there some time dur
ing this week after which she is 10 he Inspected
The Pensacola the flagship OF the South Atlaau'
SQUADRON Of which the Enterprise Is meh"cf'
dawn 10 Fort Wadsworth for powder. II is not
certain when the Pensacola IN! the Enterprise
win sail for the South Atlantic, Int il is thought
that they will remain TO take part IN INC ctIc-
monies connected with the transferring oil the
h,d, y, Contain Ericsson TO the Baltimore on
SATURDAY. They will probably make the TRIP
to fine South Atlantic by way OF the Cape de Nerde
| Islands in order To get the fullest advantage oil
the trade winds
Rcar-Admiral Bancroft Gherardi the command
ant Of tho North Atlantic Squadron, VIII pronapN
transfer his flag from the Baltimore, MS present
flagship 10 the new cruiser Philadelphia vi
Monday or Tuesday. The Admiral Is 10 occupy
the cabin on the spar-derk on the fhiladelpili"'
The three military masis have been put III place
on the Philadelphia, and now the rigging Is I"
M, mt on she must also receive her stores, ana
there are various small jobs to be done IL Is
said that she will be ready fer sea in three weeks.
Several Bonrds Of Survey have been on poard
Of the Boston, and have reported 10 'ie
Navy Department, but the results nave hoo o'cl
made known, and it is not certain """' VIII
he done with her When this is decided upon
she will bc put into the drydocK' Inc ny i'"iii''
cruiser Vcsuvius was brought ou' vi 'nc "iS
dock several days ago, but 1t VIII take t"o vi
,brce weeks more TO finish the work of putting
the electric hght plalC ih'o NO.
orders TO report to Admiral Gherardi when she
;s roodv for sea The torpedo boat Alarm Is
also ont Of the drydoclx and is now being painted
,,hi,o ohovc the water line The sloop-of-wal
yontic is being made ready to receive her new
boilers which are about ready TO be put into
her
The naval vessels which went to Boston &c
ot,ord tho celebration of Encampment Week
by the Grand Army of the Republic have re
cciycd many visitors, and the different styles OF
naval architecture were regarded with much in
terest L. is intended that some of these vessels
shall come 10 New-York after series Of squad