The morning call., 1893-07-08
Captain Howison May
Stay at Mare Island.
KIRKLAND's QUEER POSITION.
lie Apparently Wanted to Come,
but Afterward Changed
His Mind.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

| to-day and made some inquiries to ascer-
tain whether Captain Howison will be
| retained as commandant of the Mare ISL
and yard. Both Secretary Herbert and
Assistant Secretary McAdoo were absent
from the city, the former being at Chicago.
But the acting Secretary. Commodore
Ramsay, was seen, and said that the mat
ter had not yet been definitely decided.
Commodore Ramsay said: Captain
Howison appears to be quito popular on
the Pacific Coast. aud understand that he
likes Mare Island and would like to stay
there. but 1 am not sure whether that
would be the best thing for the department
or not. There is no question about Cap
tain Howison's efficiency-it is we'll known
but the bother will be about rank. We
have assigned an admiral and commodore
to the yards at New York and Norfolk,
and the Mare Island yard, being an i'm
portant post. should not be sighted by
having an officer of lower grade sent out
as her commander"
Said Commodore Ramsay. laughingly,
as be continued: "You sec Howison is
only a captain. and it would be somewh at
unusual to advance him to this post. eS-
pecially when there are so many more
captains Of that rank ahead of him. Some
time ago we decided to send Kirkland out
there from League Island, Philadelphia.
Kirkland was very anxious TO 60, and he
was soon made commodore and assigned
as commandant of tho Mare Island yard !;
but no sooner was he made commodore
than he changed his mind about Mare
Island and now he wants to have charge
of the South Atlantic station. The order
assigning him to Mare Island was revoked
yesterday, or rather suspended. pending
the decision of the department regarding
these assignments. Meantime Captain
Howison will continue in command of
Mare Island yard. No decision will be
reached In the matter of the assignments
until Secretary Herbert returns from Chi
cago. He is expected Monday"
The tone of Commodore Ramsay's con.
versation did not indicate that Howison Is
relieved of the charge. bnt that there
seemed to be some good reasons. both for
and against his retention. and that the
department. officials we're in considerable
doubt as to what should be done. Of
course, these assignments are made by
Secretary Herbert. but the advice Of Com
modore Ramsay as chief Of the Bureau of
Navigation Is relied upon to copsidera-
Bile extent.
An officer of the department said to-day i:
Commodore Kirkland does not seem to
know his own mind. First he expresses q
desire to be assigned to one post and then
to another. There is no doubt. however,
that he has friends working to try and get
him sent to the South Atlantic station.
His wife and children are now there. The
latter were born at Montevideo. and not
withstanding that it Is a yellow fever
country, he seems to like II"
This. officer also furnished The CALL
correspondent with list of naval officers
who were eligible. aud. in some cases. avail
able for duty at Mare Island. The first in
rank is Commodore Mead. He is now sta
toned at the Worlds Fair. and. as be is
not in good health. his assignment to Mare
Island is improb ba BILE. 1t is SAID that he
wishes to 60 to sea. Comm odore Carpen-
ter. the next In rank. is stationed at Ports
mouth, an nnimportant yard. Captain
Potter is Superintendent of the Naval
Home at Philadelphia; Captain Boards
ley is in charge Of the Port Royal sta
tion: Captain Selfridge has just been
detached from the Boston yard and
does not want. a Mare Island as
signment; Captain Sicard. In command
of the Milan tonomoh. Is on two years
cruise and won't be home until October:
Captain Mathews is a member of the
Board of 10 nspection and Survey and does
not want to be transferred; Captain
Phythian is now at the Naval Academy,
but will this month 90 to sea; Captains
Wallace and Bunce have charge Of the re-
ceving and training ships; Captain Will
son has been retired; McNair is superin-
tendent Of the Naval Observatory: Cap
tain Howell has just been assigned to
the Washington Navy-yard; Captain Reed
commands the Pensacola yard; Captain
Dewey is at the head of the Lighthouse
Board. Then follows Captain Howison.
If Howison Is not retained Commodore
Carpenter may receive the Mare Island
assignment, or, it may be, Howison will
rem ain in commald until October, when
Captain Scard will be given charge.
Acting Secretary Hamlin has instructed
Collectors Of Customs, In order that the
department may be fully advised concern
ing the admission OF Chinese persons into
the United States. to prepare and forward
to the department statement showing
the number of Chinese persons admitted
by them from January to June 80. 1898.
and the reasons therefor; the number to
whom admission was refused and the
reasons; she number permitted to land
for transit to another port for exit from
the United States.
Collectors are also directed to make
weekly report Of the Chinese persons seek
ing admission into the United States, CIV
ing the names. description. occupation
and places of destination in the United
States of those admitted and the evidence
upon which such action is based. and also
the names, description and occupation OF
those to whom admission is refused and
the reasons for such refusal, also the
names. occupation and description of such
persons permitted to land for transit
through the United States.
The celebrated Guilford Miller case,
which involves the rights OF so many set
tiers on railroad grants. has received an
official ruling.
Upon the motion for review in the case
of Charles Cole VS.. the Northern Pacific
Company, which involves the ruling of
the denartment in the case of the North