New-York tribune., 1891-12-27
fBy tho prcIncnN
n. L. TRACY,
Secretary Of the Navy.
BENJAMIN HARRISON.


The name q, Commodore william p. Mccann Is In
serted because II s not at AL likely that he VIII receive
his commission as Rear Admiral from the fact that ne
will reach the retiring age OF sixtytwo years on May
A next AZ nc was born in Kentucky on May 4, 1880.
lie was. however. an acting Rear-Admirai "hiie III
command Of the south Atlantic station recently, the
same "A arc Commodore John q. Walker and Commo-
dore George Brown. The designation OF Acting Rear
ADMIRAL was first given In 1883 by Secretary Chandler
A., = letter 70 the late Commodore John Lee Davis,
.b,.h tcr "You are authorized to hoist the flag
a. 80. ihe uniform 81 a Rear-Admlral and to afhx
np uft. Z He.i ADMIRAL 70 your official Signature
Th. isrH 10. snoe been followed In deals OF this
nsi. hhd rhs u, l,ssity Of these appointments has
ofsn isoa que ila h1n 80. 4Ji Of the Revised
s,aiu,.. BE- o1n,dc " .i 49, Department as sufficient
authority so l.ng 1.n sir not enough officers Of
thti sut i1r mo oaut' r ss.ta q commaudants Of
squnirons Tho sTru1n rttrt ~ pas lascd up3n the
'ct passed m sai wt'r Zoe gryie Of ciptsln ras the
highest IN the Navf, auU H authorized fie ~ ident 10
select any officer not telov the er,dr ~ ,fts,,ndcr
on the aeuVe hi II mo Saw. ana astisn mnt = Ne
command o squadron, with ihe rl1h 90 ute = Hss
pmo"r.' but ls couicr6ed By ilo ohleetns osis.ff
that Sections iisd aud ii1f ~ tho Revised ,iaiu,,
require an e,aminauon preliminary n promotion. and
That the at of June. l-70, preclude .ucL appoint,
ments, nasmueh az II provide that Ue ranh Of
officers shall not be changed except accordau,e Win
existing law, and by the advice aud consent OF te
Senate
There is one regulation IN the claws for tho petter
Government OF the navy which many officers Of the
service have been able TO understand and that
Is, why should they become un0t 10 command after
reaching the age Of siAtytwO yearsi Why should a
Navy officer become supcranused unfit for further
service, at sxtytwo, when Army officer is recoe
nized retaining all his mental and physical capacities
until he is sixty four, and judge on the bench does
become too old to administer justice according to
the laws until he Is beyOnd 4 w
OF Congress that determines at what age Navy officer
may be incapacated for the further mental and phys
ics performance Of the duties which may devolve upon
him commander, and in some Instances, where an
officer has been conspicuous In bravery, Congress has
declared that he will be unfit 10 defend his nag
untl he seventy two-that is special act passed
continue him ten years longer the active list
Today the six Rear Adinirals on the active list in
the order Of their rank. Lewis A. Kimberly pre,i
dent OF the Naval Board Of Inspection ard ,uryev
with headquarters 81 Washington bancroft GherArdi.
oommsuGant Of the North Atlantic squadron Gcorge
| Y. Beknap. commandsnt ~ the Asiatlc squadron
David u. Harmony. on ls way 10 succeed Rear.
Admiral Bclknnp 4. y. X. Bcnhan, who viii prob
ably be ordered to command The south Iscinc squad
ron. and John Irwin, commAndaAt Of the Marc Island
! Navy Yarf.
Rar admiral Kimberly will be put on the retired list
/ o. so,ail { Of age on April next ana Commodor,
Jane 4. will ne promoted to the VACANCY and
be VIII reach the retiring age until February 2s
isS5 Th viii also make vncancy In the list OF
commod0rcs. 90 which Captain Henry Erben, com.
mandnnt oi the New York Navy Ward. VIII be-
promoted Admiral Fmbcrv born n this stat.
gu Apni ?, 1890 ahd Va ~ nted mlish pma1 a the
Naval Academy nom Illinois ou Dc,cmher - isf6
Ne has record - .ts tellnd him b.
which any 0f hE Hneal -. otulnrt, and his
,osnifymen snd eoYnifys oms1 Iia. may point
sph fnfs Not fonsp'fuai. anip.s m, lct ". |
dsuss msi De- mshuanri b. .ef,fe vih |
fsrfasuf q, ssesuf fc officer q 80 Iiartiafd b. -t
sioa bss.as his commander fhe tudes - ne .. .
I'D Ns nqsi ssbssd place ou ibc slIp lnd e4ef4.e. .
81 .efsr f'sf ssw drfh in ths cnsssomeut and pa /
an n rr f.fi uudsen inueff .lc 'ho.e u Dr,lf \
aef H.f HsuHFan. o. us m.i,slpli afd ~ fI..
..Iaa H HpHF ffi IH ff1t lie VIII also h. .,
IffH .nue. fDI Nth he hurricane dls;.ter az |
.I.. H .loHfb lrei. irf he was the commander !
ri f.a a.allf.. iie ".s 90. artfrc. competent AMI
.n o. fui disaster %. when olly Ieutenant
.s snfaf. ..l-fr 80 r centHrj nefor. Fyen lis
90 s.nff aefF0s op ts iare t0vl. on the oolst
60 iH fts bnt three }-tF. after his enrerins
~fHf fHs ~ That nature Which brnrtf
f n ne ofcsr Of lafrf
IH h. e,ond ciuise On "A.
l Ha istg a. 100 On the ,i,.,s
alsa Zoo n pas.cf mldshipnlan o, |
ffaf .ss aier lie VA promoted 10
80 .i H.A on ihe 'osat - Africa. lie
fh g. Eaf Ida squadron when
.. ~ AZ orfef,d 10 the s'9Feshlp |
al u4f 80 ehndine -qotIron. M
80 Hi fcar vh's b, aas isaasfslaf 7
+. nn 49, FFsfi alsi rssI as
e. - his fsll ssss :. I
- - HaNssss -
: "a. d. f4ss eie ses. 8