Evening star., 1894-03-26
GENERAL MOVING UP
Retirements of High Naval officers Will
Make Promotions
Commodore Erben Not Assured Yet
of Higher Rauk-Will Not
De Jumped Up.

The Secretary of the Navy has disap-
| proved the application of Commodore Err
ben, commanding the European station,
| for promotion to the grade of rear admiral
on the retirement of Admiral Benham on
the 10th proXimo. Commodore Erben is
| number five in his grade, and he will re-
tire in September next. He bases his claim
for preference for promotion over those
above him on the fact that he entered the
service two years before Commodore Ram
say, who stands No. l, and because he was
overslaughed by that officer in the reor-
ganization of the navy just after the war.
Commodore Fyfe, who stands No. 3, is
senior to Erben both in rank and length OF
service. He will retire in June next in his
present grade unless the President should
promote him to one of the two vacancies
in the higher grade which will occur next
month by the retirement Of Admirals Ben
ham and Irwin. Under ordinary circum-
stances, these promotions will fail to Com
modOres Ramsay and Skerrett, who are
next in line of promotion. The appointment
of these two officers would make FyHe,
Stanton and Erben one, two and three re-
spectiVeiy, in the list of commodores, and
make them eligible for promotion to the
grade of admiral in the order named. Com
yHS anu EFDel, OIuliidi ,
course of events, will retire, however, be-
fore any vacancies will occur in the higher
grade by which they could possibly benefit.
Admiral Gherardi, the ranking oiiicer in the
navy, who mas StIll more than year Of ac-
tive service before him, is interested in
having mis- friend Commodore ErDen reach
the rank of admiral before his refinement, I,
and is willing to advance his own retire
ment under the forty years service law. If
the vacancy thereby created can pe turned
TO the advantage of his friend. This re-
suit would certainly be accomplished II
another one of the SIX aumlralS joined Ad-
miral Gherardi in his action. Inc matter
was suggested 20 them, but no one was will
ing to make the sacrifice involved SO the
plan fell through. The same end may Yet
De accomplished with Commodore STAN
tons assistance On the retirement of
Commodore tylfe in June next, Commo-
dore Stanton VIII be at the head of the list
with Commodore Erben second. The vol
untary retirement OF Admiral Gherardi
early in June would promote Commodore
tyfte, and his enforced retirement would
promote Commodore Stanton, whereupon
ne, too, might voluntarily retire in the in
terest of Commodore ErDen, and the latter
would crafty his present ambition of re-
tir1ng with the highest rank possible in the
navy. There are good reasons for the be-
lief that this plan will be carried into exc
cutlon before the lst of June, in order that
Commodore Fylfe may surely be included
in its benefits. Its favorable consider ton
by the powers that be may explain why
Commodore Stanton is not to so to the
South Atlantic station, as originally plan
ned, and why his relief by Commodore
Meade of command of the North Atlantic
station has been postponed for a few
months. In case he is to go on the retired
list within a lew months, it would be alto
gether contrary to the practice Of the ser
vice to send him to the command of a for
eiSn station. This affords a partial eXpla-
nation Of why Commodore kirkland was
recalled from the Pacific station and or
dercd instead to the command of the South
Atlantic in place of Commodore Stanton.
The retiremonts and promotions in the
higher grades above indicated will give
an unusual impetus TO promotions all along
the line, and Will he specially appreciated
by the members of this years graduating
class at the Naval Academy. Unless some
extra vacancies are made in this way, the
graduates will lind themselves without COM
missions when they conclude their exami-
nations in June. There are thirty-eight
members in this years class. of which num-
Der five viii be assigned to the engineer
corps and three 10 the construction DEPART
msnt, leaving thirty to be provided for in
the line and in the marine corps, in which
there are at present only fifteen assured
vacancies.