The morning call., 1893-05-23
Secretary Herbert and His
Admirals.
SOME CHANGES IN THE NAVY.
Where Fleet Officers Will Go and
How the New Ships Will
Be Disposed.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

WASHINGTON, May 22-The most i'm
portant changes that have taken rlace in
the disposition of naval SLIPS in recent
years and ia the personnel of high rank ing
officers will be made on May 81, when Sec
rotary Herbert directs that three admirals
shall haul down their flags, two of them
to be assigned to shore duty and the third
placed in command of the North Atlantic
station. The order also affects one of the
eommodores. who will be relieved from
the command of shore stations and as
signed to the European station, which is
to be revived after having been practically
abolished for six years.
1t is seldom that the Secretary has three
admirals on his hands to dispose OF at
once, and to give each one what he wants
without creating friction is difficult mat
ter.
Comm odore Brown saw the Secretary
to-day and spoke to him OF the changes,
which do not affect him in the least,
lnasmuch as the commodore expects to be
ordered to his old duty al Norfolk. where
he spent three years previous to assuming
charge of the Pacific station, which he has
recently turned over to Admiral Skerreu
On May 81 the general shaking mp is to
commence. Admiral Gherardi will then
haul down his blue pennant aud practi
cally close his career as au officer at sea.
On the day that Admiral Gherardi relin-
pushes command. Admiral Benham will
transfer his red pennant from the Newark
to the San Francisco and assume COM
mand of the North Atlantic station, with
her as his flagship. 1t Was expected that
this vessel was to return TO the Pacific
with the Charleston where both were
built. but the Secretary was prevailed
upon to keep her on this side. principally
on account of her great beauty and her
usefulness as fast ship in case of emer-
gencies.
Admiral John G. Walker will also see
his white flag run down from the mast
head. of his fl gship. the Chicago. which
has flown it for over three years, and three
months on leave of absence will be his re-
ward for three years and over at sea. AT
the expiration of this leave he can expect
to receive orders to command either the
Boston or Mare Island yard.
Immediately after these changes have
been made, the Philadelphia. lately Ad-
miral Gherard's flagship. will sail fer San
Francisco by way of Cape Horn, to be
followed by the Charleston and the York
town as soon as they can leave the Nor
folk Navy-yard. The Newark will be sent
to the. South Atlantic station, where she
was ordered with Admiral Benham last
summer, and later recalled to tow the
Columbus caravels over 10 Havana. The
Baltimore will sail for the Asiatc station
with the Concord or one of the other gun
boats. There she will relieve the Ian.
caster as a flagship, and that vessel will be-
sent home and probably condemned and
sold.
Admiral Benham will have as his fleet
on the home station the San Francisco.
Atlanta, Miantonom oh. Kearsarge, Vesu-
vius and the little Cushing. This Will be
augmented later in the summer by the
addition Of the Detroit, Montgomery. Mar
blehead, Castine and other vessels nearing
completion. The New York will be in
commission by early autumn and will
probably relieve the Chicago. whose boilers
are not in good condition.
The Pacific fleet will consist of the Phil
adelphia. Charleston, Boston. Petrol,
Mohican. Adams and the wooden ships in
the Boring Sea feet. The Alliance will
eventually find her way around to this
side, where she is to be turned over to the
naval school.
The Asiatic feet will comprise the
Baltimore Magship). Concord, Machias, Lam
caster. Marion, and perhaps the Marble
head, or one of the Baltimore-b built cruisers.
For the present the South Atlantic fleet
will EN- brace the Newark and Yantic. Some
commodore will be ordered to command
IL by July.
Admiral Gherardi will be no stranger to
New York, where he was in command
previous to his present sea duty. The
North Atlantic will be the first fleet COM
mand Admiral Benham has had.
Other important changes will be made
in the assignment Of naval officers, but for
the present no further orders to officers of
high rank will be given. Commodore
Brown will probably be ordered to Nor
folk, the Mare Island YARD will be looked
after later. and the Boston yard will keep
its present commander for the present.
Ex-SurgeOn-General Browne of the navy
gave handsome dinner last night at the
Metropolitan Club to his successor DR..
Tryon. The invited guests were the Sec
rotary and Assistant Secretary of the
Navy, the chiefs Of department and few
other officers