Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-20
PROMOTION IN THE NAVY.
Beyond Captains Rank the Age OF Retire.
ment Quickly Clears the Way.
NAM yorl S,tp

There used to be a good deal OF talk
about the top-heaviness OF the United
States navy. but the navy has nowadays
less than n score of officers above the
rank of captain, and few men remain
long as either commodores or rear admi
rails. When Commodore Joseph F'yffe shall
have been promoted and retired on the
22d of July. the list OF rear admirals and
commodores as printed I'm the Navy
Register of January. 1894. will look absurd
ly 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-Adm-
rails Stanton and Erben shall have at
tained that full rank and been retired,
the whole active list of rear admirals. as
II stood January /, 1894, will have been
changed.
Commodore Meade, who will take Err
ben's place in the list OF rear-admras
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 retirement.
The admirals retired during the last six
months had served in that rank from one
to nine years. The men Immediately be-
hind Meade are of near his age, and
few OF them will be able to hold their
places long as commodores or admirals
Not one of the admirals retired this
year. and, of course none OF those that
have taken or are to take their places,
had higher rank than lieutenant-com-
mander during the civil war. Gherardi,
Belknap, Benham, Irwin. Greer Brown,
Walker. Ramsay Sherrett, Fyffe. Stan
ton, Erben, Meade, and several OF thu
younger commodOres reached that rank
In July 1862. At the rate promotions ans
retirements now move IL will be but n
little while when no man that was above
a lieutenant in the navy OF the civil war
will be left on the active list.
The age OF compulsory retirement In the
navy H. ~ years, two years earlier than
in the army. Most Of the captains Will,
in the natural course Of events, become
rear-admlrals before they attain that age.
Some OF the commanders will not. unless
promotions and retirements are hurried.
Officers reach the rank OF rear-admiral
somewhere between the ages of 50 and
CO. The average must b. near IS. Most of
them are not rich, and when in good
health they watch the approach Of 62
with anything but pleasure. There are
several methods of escape into retirement
for the officer who l. rich enough TO seek
such n luxury or la such health that he
prefers not to go 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. rich
man may ask for a medical examination,
and be retired as incapacitated for fur-
ther sea service. In certain contingencies,
when an officer Is not recommended for
further promotion, he may he retired.
and promoted after retirement.
Then there is peculiarly-honorable re-
tirement from incapacity resulting from
long and faithful service or injuries re-
ceived in the course of duty No specified
number of years constitutes this long
service and men considerably less than
thirty years in the service have been thus
retired. Rear-Admiral Worden's retire
ment came on his own application after
nearly ffty-three years service, and IL
carried with 1t the highest sea-pay OF
his grade.