The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-02-07
RETIRING ADMIRALS.
There Will Be a Number of I'm
portant Naval Changes.

pOI gCAAV u OAoASoOo'
A number of very important
changes In the navy will occur
during the early spring, consequent
upon the retirement of three rear
admirals and resulting promotions
all along the line The first retire
ment will be that of Admiral
George Z. Belknap, whose service
on the active list will end on the.
ODD instant. On the same date
Commodore John G. Walker, now
on special duty in Washington,
will be promoted to the grade of
rear admiral, and will relieve Adj
miral Belknap of his duties as
President of the Naval Inspection
board, with headquarters at the
Navy Department. The next i'm
portant retirement will be that of
Rear Admiral A. Z. K. Benham,
commanding the South Atlantic
station. He was recently in COM
mand of the North Atlantic, or
home, station, but was detached
from that duty when it became
necessary to send his flagship, San
Francisco, to the Brazilian station.
He will relieve Capt. Picking of
command of the United States
forces at Rio at once. Capt. Pick
ing has been in command there
ever since the summary detach-
ment of Acting Rear Admiral
Stanton, because of his premature
recognition of the insurgents.
ADMIRAL BENHAM's SERVICE.
Admiral Benham's service in
Brazil, and In fact his active SER
vice in the United States navy, will
terminate by his retirement, April
10th next. Commodore Francis NJ.
Ramsay, who has been on duty in
this city for the past four years, as
chief of the bureau of navigation,
will be promoted to the grade Of
rear Admiral on the same date,
and will soon thereafter be given
an assignment more in accord with
his increased rank, possibly the
command of the Pacific or of the
North Atlantic station. This lat
ter command is now held by Act
ing Rear Admiral Stanton, who,
however, was assigned to it with
the distinct understanding that he
would be transferred to the COM
mand of the South Atlantic station
On the retirement of Admiral Ben
ham. 1t is regarded as certain
that Commodore Ramsay will get
an important sea command In the
near future, even if it should found
necessary to assign another officer
to the command of the station in
the early spring.
ADMIRAL IRWIN.
The third retirement referred to
is that of Rear Admiral John Ir-
win. now in command of the naval
forces at Honolulu, who, up to a
few weeks ago was in command OF
the Asiatic station. He relieved
Commodore Joseph S. Skerrett of
duty at Honolulu, and the latter
took his place on the Asiatic sta
ton. His service at the Hawaiian
capital will be Short, however, as
under the law he goes on the re-
tired list on the 18th of April, and
thereby promotes Commodore Skier
rett to the full grade of rear adj
miral. The latter's promotion will
afford him some compensation for
the reflection cast upon him by the
Administration in relieving him
from duty at Honolulu in the midst
of important diplomatic negotia-
tions, and that, too, by an officer
who had only few months to
serve. AS published in the Star at
the time, Commodore Skerrett was
relieved from duty at Honolulu be-
cause he was supposed TO be III
sympathy with the cause of annex
alton and therefore might not be n
good man TO enforce the Presidents
plans for the restoration of Queen
LiIiuokalani.
The Pacific station, Of which the
Hawaiian Islands are but a part,
and which also includes Behrlng
Sea, il probably the most import
ant command in the navy at pres