Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-27
NAVAL CHANGES
Some Important Ones to Be Made
in April.
Two ADMIRALS TO THEN RETIRE
Plans to Induce Two Other VoIun-
tary Retrements.
TO BENEFIT COMMODORES

| great many changes in the naval SER
vice will occur during the ensuing spring
and summer. and speculation is being freely
indulged in already in regard to them. Ad-
miral A. l.. X. Fenham, commanding the
South Atlantic station. will retire April 10.
and Admiral John Irwin, commanding the
| Pacific station, will retire on the 18th Of
the same month. Their retirement will re-
suit in the promotion of Commodore F. NJ
Ramsay, chief Of the bureau of navigation,
and Commodore Joseph s. Skerrett, COM
manding the Asiatic station. Unless the re-
cent loss of the United States ship Kear-
sarge on the cay of Roncador causes
change in present plans Commodore o. F.
Stanton, now commanding the North At
lantic staten. will succeed Admiral Benham
in command of the naval forces at Rio
When Admiral Stanton was given his pres
ent assignment 1t was with the understand
ing that he would be restored to the COM
mand of the South Atlantic station upon
the relief of Admiral Benham.
The South Atlantic Squadron.
| 1t is possible that such understanding was
based on the belief that the civil troubles
in Brazil would be over before the change
in the command became necessary. The
progress of events of late does not, how
eve-. justify belief of a speedy adjustment
of the Brazilian troubles. and 1t is barely
possible that the Secretary Of the Navy will
have to reconsider his purpose Of placing
Commodore Stanton again in command of
that station, inasmuch as his summary de-
! tachment from that command fo- repudiat-
ed courtesies to the insurgent leader might
possibly affect his relations with the Bra
lillian government. At any rate 1t will be
necessary to relieve Admiral Benham be-
fore the date of his retirement. and in
| case II is thought to be bad policy to send
Commodore Stanton to Rio under the exist
Ing state of affairs, the assignment will
most likely fall to either Commodore r. w
Meade, president of the naval examining
board.Or to Commodore c. c. Carpenter, late
in command of the Portsmouth navy yard,
each of whom Is said to be booked for sea
duty.
The question of the succession Of Admiral
Irwin in command of the Pacific station
has been already settled by the assignment
of Commodore VIM. A. Kirkland, late In
command of the League Island navy yard.
| He will sail from San Francisco for Homo
lulu on the 1Ith proximo.
Plans for Two Voluntary Retirements.
Commodore Joseph Fyre, commanding
the Boston navy yard. will retire July 20.
and Commodore Henry Erben commanding
the European station. will retire September
8. and an effort is now being made to ar
| range affairs so that they both can be re-
tired with the rank of admiral. As there
Will be no vacancies in the latter grade in
| the ordinary course Of events other than
those already indicated, the plan is to in
duce two admirals to advance their own re-
| tirement. so that the two commodores
| named may be advanced a peg before they
| are put on the shelf. This can be done by
the voluntary retirement of two admirals
| under the forty years service law Ad-
miral Bancroft Gherardi. the ranking officer
| In the navy, is willing to enter into an ar
rangement of this kind for the benefit of
Commodore Erben. Admiral Gherardi will
regularly retire November 10 next, but in
order to make place for his friend, Com
modore Erben, he is willing to be retired
July l, provided another admiral will retire
about the same date so as to permit the
promotion of Commodore Fyne before the
date of Commodore Erben's retirement
Commodore Fyffe ranks Commodore Erben
and Is entitled to the first vacancy In the
higher grade.
Admiral GherardFs Position.
Admiral Gherardi will not advance his wn
retirement unless it will benefit his friend
Commodore Erben, and the retirement of
two admirals before September is necessary
to secure the retirement of Erben with the
grade of admiral. Gherardfs retirement in
July would promote Fyffe, and Fyffe's re-
tirement. July 20. would promote Commo-
dore Stanton to the grade of admiral and
place Erben at the head Of the list of COM
modores. AS the last named officer retires
September next the only way he can reach
the grade of admiral is by the voluntary
retirement of an officer in that grade. The
only two possibilities are Admiral Greer who
will regularly retire February %, 1885, and
Admiral Skerrett, who will retire January
ls, 1895. The friends Of Fyffe and Erben
have made strong overtures to these two
officers to assist Admiral Gherardi in secur-
ing their promotion before retirement. but
SO far without success. The plan therefore
is likely to fall through. According to ures-
ent indications Admiral Gherardi will serve
out his full term, and Commodores Fyffe
and Erben will both go on the retired list
In their present grade.
Three Vacancies to BE Made.
The approaching retirement Of the three
officers named will leave vacant respectively
the command of the New York navy ward.
the command of the Boston navy yard and
the command of the European squadron.
These are all desirable assignments and will
be eagerly sought for by officers eligible for
the duty. Commodore c. c. Carpenter is
sure of one, and Commodore L. A. Beardslee
and Capt. Thos o. Selfridge may be as
signed to the other two, the latter most
likely to the European station. Another
important assignment in the near future is
that OF chief of the bureau Of yards end
docks, which will become vacant on the 9Th
proximo by the transfer of Capt. ". H.
Farquhar. the incumbent, to the command
of the League Island navy yard Capt. %.
Q. Matthews, at present a member of the
board of inspection and survey, is mentioned
as Capt. Farquhar's most probable sue
cessor. The term Of Capt. r. L. Phythian.
as superintendent Of the Naval Academy.
will expire in June next and there is al.
ready considerable speculation as to his
succession The general impression is that
he will be given sea duty and that an officer
of much lower rank. possibly Commander
Goodrich, may succeed him at ANNAPOLIS |
In the event that Admiral Stanton is trans |
ferred to the command of the South Atlantic /
station, 1t is practically settled that Com
modore r. w. Meade will be placed in COM !
mand OF the North Atlantic or home station. |
The Payment of Pensions.
The Secretary of the Interior has ro |
voked so much Of his recent instructions |