The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-28
COMMAND OF THE STATIONS.
COmrnodores Who Will Soon
Become Rear-AdmiraIS.
SCRAMBLE FOR PLACES ASHORE.
Ramsay and Skerrett Sure of AID.
VanCement, and Stanton Will
Succeed Benham at Rio.

WASHINGTON, Feb. pa great many
changes in the naval service will occur
during the ensuing spring and summer.
and speculation is being freely iDdulged in
already in regard 30 them. Admiral
A. E. K. Benham. commanding the South
Atlantic station. will retire on April 10,
and Admiral John Irwin, commanding the
Pacific station, will retire on the 18th of the
same month. The retirement will result
in the promotion of Commodore Ramsay,
chief of the Bureau of Navigation, and
Commodore Skerrett, commanding the
Asatic station. Unless the recent loss OF
the kearsarge causes change in the
present plans Commodore Stanton, now
commanding the North Atlantic station.
will succeed Admiral Benham in command
Of the naval forces at Rio.
When Admiral Stanton was given bis
present assignment it was with the under
standing that he would be restored to the
command of the South Atlantic station
upon the relief of Admiral Benham. the
question of the succession of Admiral r.
win in the command of the Pacific station
has been already settled by the assignment
of Commodore Kirkland, late in command
of the Mare Island Navy-yard. He will
sail from San Francisco for Honolulu on
the 18th pFox.
Commodore Fyffe, commanding the Bos-
ton Navy-yard, will retire July &c, and
Commodore Henry Erben. commanding
the European station, will retire Septem-
Der 6, and an effort is now being made to
arrange affairs so that they both can be
retired with the rank of admiral. The
plan is likely to fall through; according to
present indications Admiral Gherardi will
serve out his full term, and Commodores
Fyffe and Erbeu will both 60 on the re-
tired list in their present grade.
The approaching retirement of the
three officers named will leave vacant
respectively the command of the New
York Nayy-yard, the Boston Navy-yard
and the command of the European squad
ron. These are all desirable assignments
and will be eagerly sought for by officers
eligible for the duty. Commodore Carpen-
ter is sure of one, and Commodore Boards
lee and Captain Selfrdge may be assigned
10 the other two. The latter is lost likely
to get the European station.
Another important assignment in the
near future is that of chief of the Bureau
of Yards and Docks, which will become
vacant on the 9th prox. by the transfer of
Captain Farquhar, the incumbent. to CON-
mand Mare Island Navy-yard.
Captain E. o. Matthews. at present a
member of the Board of Inspection, is
mentioned as Captain Farquhar's most
probable successor. The term Of Captain
Phythian as superintendent of the Naval
Academy will expire In June next, and
there is already considerable speculation
as to his successor. The general impress
sion is that he will be given sea duty, and
that an officer of much lower rank, posi-
bly, Commander Goodrich. may succeed
him az Annapolis. In the event that Ad-
miral Stanton is transferred to the CON-
mand of the South Atlantic station it is
practically settled that Commodore Meade
will be placed in command of the North
Atlantic or home station.