Evening star., 1894-03-23
THE PACIFIC SQUADRON
Admiral John G. Walker Selected to Com
mand It.
Besides Looking After Matters at
Honolulu He Will Have Charge OF
the Sealing Fleet.

The statements made in yesterdays Star
IN regard to changes in important naval
commands were substantially confirmed
later in the evening by the Secretary Of the
Navy, who up to that time had observed
q most tmpregnable diplomatic silence on
the subject. When the interview between
Secretary Herbert and Commodore Kirk
land, referred to in yesterdays Star. termi-
mated. the naval officer was in possession Of
orders revoking his original orders to the
command of the Pacific station and placing
him in command Of the South Atlantic
station, to succeed Admiral Benham, now on
his way home by way Of Bluefields, for re-
tirement.
Admiral Walker Selected.
The South Atlantic station had been re-
served for Admiral Stanton. but the latter
will continue to command the North At
lantic station for time at least, though 1t
is expected that he will ultimately yield this
command to Commodore Meade The change
in Commodore Kirkland's orders made nee
essary new detail to succeed to the COM
mand of the Pacific station, and Admiral
John G. Walker was selected for the place.
he Is now president of the stability board,
and the selection caused some surprise in
view Of the fact that only last year he re-
turned from three and a half years sea
partment to allow an officer of this grade a
turn of four years shore duty after so long
a term of sea service. No explanation Of
the selection is afforded at the Navy De-
partment, but II Is learned that Admiral
Walker was chosen for the post by Secre-
tary Herbert after consultation with the
President This fact leads to the conclusion
that the executive expects that important
and delicate duties are to be discharged in
the near future by the commander of the
Pacific station, which is already the most
important sea command in the navy. en-
bracing Bering sea, Hawaii, the Pacific
coast and the entire western coasts of
Central and South America.
Importance of the Sealing Fleet.
Admiral Walker has not yet been ordered
to Honolulu and it may be that he will not
go there. The Department of State has at
last called upon the Navy Department to
supply fleet to police the seal waters, and
every effort is making to get the vessels
together. The vessels will number twelve,
II so many can be aSSembled-five revenue
marine and fish commission boats and prob
ably the Yorktown, Concord, Ranger, Ben
nington, Adams, Alert and Mohican. The
idea of sending the Charleston around from
Montevideo has been abandoned. Whether
Admiral Walker will himself go north in
command of the fleet is not yet known, but
in view of the uncertain state of the regu-
lations touching sealing and the necessity
Tor prompt yet extremely sound and ju-
dicious action in emergencies. it is possible
that the admiral himself will be on the
scene. This is the more probable from the
intimation given out at the department that
his duty Is to be temporary and that he is
likely to be relieved before next fall While
II Is true that the Bering sea fleet was in
charge of Commander Ludlow last year.
the State Department fully expects, not
withstanding certain bitches in the negotia-
tons with Great Britain relative TO the
sealing question, that the regulations pre-
scribed by the arbitrators will be IN effect
when the season opens this year, and thus
the field of operations will be so wideaed as
to require the administration of an adj
miral.
VIII Go ut Once to Honolulu.
Admiral John G. Walker is expected to
leave Washington tonight and repair to San
Francisco by way of New York 1t is now
stated at the Navy Department that he will
proceed al once to Honolulu by the steamer
sailing from San Francisco April 8. This
should place him in Hawaii in time to re-
ceive the command of the Pacific station
about the time of Admiral Irwin's retire
ment, April l5 Ensign 5. 5. Wood, now on
duty in the Navy Department naval
aid to Secretary Herbert, has been selected
by Admiral Walker as his flag lieutenant
and will accompany him to Honolulu.
Lieut.. Sidney A. Staunton will act as secre-
tary to the admiral.
While Admiral Walker will hoist his flag
on the Philadelphia, and he will be directly
in charge of the American naval force at
Honolulu, he will also be the responsible
head of the entire Pacific squadron. and
this includes the naval force that will pa
troll the seal waters
Commodore kiriIand's Command.
Commodore Kirkland, who has been Sc
lected to command the South Atlantic sta
ton, has gone to Baltimore. He will pro-
ceed in a day or two to New York and there
,ao III,
rark of rear admiral while in command of
the station, hosting his flag on the Newark
now at Montevideo. His staff will consist
of Lieut.. York Noel as secretary and Lieut.
j. A. II. Nichols flag lieutenant