The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-09-26
PROMOTION. IN THE NAVY.
Beyond Captains Rank the Age of Re-
tirement Quickly Clears the Way.

There used to be good deal of talk
about the top-heaviness of the United
States navy, but the navy has nowadays
less than score of officers above the
rank of captain, and few men remain
long as either commodores or rear ad-
mirals. When Commodore Joseph
Fyffe shall have been promoted and re-
tired, the list of rear admirals and COM
modores, as printed in the navy register
OF January, 1894, will look absurdly
antiquated
Admiral Gherardi heads the list of
rear admirals in that publication and
the name of John G. Walker heads the
list of commodores. When Acting Rear
Admirais Stanton and Erben shall have
attained that full rank and been retired
the whole active list of rear admirals
as it stood Jan. l, 1894 viii have been
changed.
Commodore Meade, who will take
Erben's place in the list of rear admirals
when the latter shall have been retired.
will have been about forty-four years in
the navy, and will have about four
years more of active service before re-
tirement The admirals retired during
the last six months had served in that
rank from one to nine years. The
men Immediately behind Meade are of
near his age, and few of them will be
able to hold their places long as COM
modores or admirals.
Not one of the admirals retired this
year. and, of course, none of those who
have taken or are to take their places
had higher rank than lieutenant COM
mander during the civil war. Cher
ardi, Belknap, Benham, Irwin, Greer.
Brown, Walker. Ramsay, Sherrett,
Fyfe, Stanton, Erben, Meade and sew
eral of the younger commodores reached
that rank in July, 1862. At the rate
promotions and retirements now move
it will be but little while when no man
that was above lieutenant in the navy
of the civil war will be left on the active
list
The age of compulsory retirement in
the navy is 81 years, two years earlier
than in the army. Most of the cap
tains will, in the natural course of
events. become rear admirals before
they attain that age. Some of the
commanders will not, unless promotion
and retirement are hurried.
Officers reach the rank of rear ad-
miral somewhere between the ages of
So and go. The average must be near
SO. Nest of them are not rich, and
when in good health they watch the ap-
proach of 81 with anything but pleas
ure. There are several methods of es-
cape into retirement for the officer who
is rich enough to seek such a luxury,
or in such health that he prefers not to
go on In active service. An officer may
demand retirement after forty years
consecutive service, and under this
provision all the men above the rank of
captain could retire at once. A rich
man may ask for a medical examine
ton and be retired as incapacitated for
further sea service. In certain contin-
gencies, when an officer is not recon-
mended for further promotion, he may
be retired, and promoted after retire.
ment.
Then there is peculiarly honorable
retirement from incapacity resulting
from long and faithful service or inju-
ries received in the course of duty. No
specified number of years constitutes
this "long" service, and men considera-
bly, less than thirty years in the service
have been thus retired. Rear Admiral
Worden's retirement came on his own
application after nearly fifty-three
years service. and it carried with it the
highest sea pay of his grade.