Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-09
REAR ADMIRAL MEADE
To Retire After Forty Years of
Active Service.
DISSATISFACTION TEE REAL CAUSE
Who Will Probably Succeed Him
in Command.
REMARKABLE CAREER

tached from command of the North Attain
tic squadron and granted years leave of
absence. This was lone at his own request.
In making his application Admiral Meade
said it was his purpose to apply for retire
ment from active service June l, under the
forty years service claim. This is in ac-
cordance with a prediction made by The
Star when the squadron returned from it's
West Indian cruise a few weeks ago. The
precise reasons for Admiral Meades action
are known only to himself, but it is gener-
ally understood that his early retirement
is due to poor health and a feeling of dis
satisfaction over the departments alleged
interference with his plan of squadron evo-
lutions and exercises. 1t is said that he
was dispeased at the detachment of his
flagship New York for service in European
waters. Admiral Meade has been less than
ole year in command of the squadron. He
would not be retired for age until 1899.
His Probable Successor.
Capt. B. ]. Cromwell, as the senior cff1-
Ger attached to the North Atlantic squad
ron, will be in temporary command CT the
squadron until regular detail is made. He
is in command of the Atlanta. which ves-
sci is undergoing repairs at Key West. 1t
Is expected that Admiral Meade's success
sor in command of the home squadron will
be announced in a few days. The proba-
ton of Commodore Thomas O. Selfridge,
now on duty In this city as president of the
board Of inspection and survey with Com
modore Robert l.. Pythian, superintendent
of the naval observatory, as second choice.
and Commodore F. NJ Bunce of the board
Of inspection and survey as third choice.
1t Is regarded as almost certain that one
of the three officers named will receive the
assignment. With the single exception of
Admiral F. M. Ramsay, they are the only
officers of the proper rank for this COM
mand subject to sea duty. Admiral Ram
say is left out of the question for the rea-
son that he was reappointed chief of the
bureau of navigation with the understand
ing that he should remain there until he re-
tired. little over year hence.
Admirals Brown and Walker have each
had squadron commands within recent
years, and will probably never go to sea
again, except in case of an emergency.
With the exceptions noted. all the officers
senior to Commodore Selfridge are now in
command of SquadronS, and as that officer
has not been to sea since 1887 his selection
for the present vacancy is most natural.
He was recently slated for command of the
South Atlantic squadron, but his wife was
dangerously ill at the time and Commodore
Chas. S. Norton was detailed in his stead.
Promotions to Follow.
Commodore L. A. Beardslee, command
ing the Pacific station, will become a full
rear admiral on the retirement Of Admiral
Howell will become commodores on the
joint retirement of Admiral Meade and
Commodore E. E. Potter. The latter re-
tired today. OF the eligible commodores,
Selfridge, Phythian and Bunce are the only
ones likely to reach the full grade of rear
admiral, and there is unwritten law
against making any officer an acting rear
admiral (or jackass admirals as they are
called In The service) unless they are elig-
ible for promotion to the full grade under
ordinary conditions.
Admiral Mcnde's Career.
Rear Admiral Meade now standing num-
ber four on the list, Is the youngest officer
of that grade in the navy. He was born
in New York city October 8, 1887, and ap-
pointed midshpman from California Oc-
tober 9 1880, so that he has been over
forty-four years in the naval service. His
record is remarkable for the number Of
events and hard service it encompasses. He
was present at the celebrated "koszta"
affair in Smyrna, in 1853, as a midship-
man. He received his warrant as master
in 1858. and received his commission as
lieutenant later in the same year. In 1862
he Joined the North Atlantic blockadng &
squadron, thus beginning his war service.
In the same year he received his COM
mission as lieutenant commander. His
first command was the ironclad Louisville
of the western fotilla, employed in break
ing up guerilla warfare on the upper
Mississippi, for which he was commended
by Admiral Porter. He commanded the
naval battalion during the celebrated July
riots in New York, being stationed in the
lower part of the city from Monday to
Saturday.
For remarkable engagement while in
command of the Marblehead at Stone
river S. c., he was not only commended
by his immediate superior, but was Off
cially thanked in official orders by Admiral
Dahlgren, and recommended for promotion
of odp a1a fnr
duct in the face of the enemy" In this
case with the seventy men of the Marble
heads crew he repulsed an attack by vast
ly superior force of infantry and artillery,
the purpose of which was to drive Gen.
Gilmore's forces out of Stone inlet. Al
though the Marblehead was struck thirty
| times in the hull he drove off the enemy
and subsequently led landing party which
DESTROYED their batteries. Commanding the
Chocura in the West Gulf he captured and
destroyed seven blockade runners in the
fall of '64. and a few months later again
earned official thanks by cutting out of the
Calcasieu river and destroying in the face
of a greatly superior force the blockade
runner Delphina. AS a commander in 1870
he made a comprehensive report on the
gun factories of the country, and then in
the same year commanded the schooner
yacht America in the famous race with the
British yacht Cambria. From 1871 to 1873
he commanded the NarraganSett and made
one of the most remarkable cruises on rec
ord sailing under canvas about 10000
miles, visiting all parts of the Pacific
ocean, surveying harbors and islands, col
lectinS indemnitics from the Polynesan
savages, and last. but not least, negotiat-
ing the celebrated Samoan treaty, for
which he was officially commended by the
Secretary of the Navy. He received his
commission as captain in $780, and on re-
| ln1uishing the command of the Vandalia,
his admiral reported to the department
that as a commanding officer he has no
superior" After service on a number of
boards he took command of the Washing
ton navy yard in 1887. and transformed
that yard into the great naval ordnance
snop it now is. He was member of the
government board at the worlds fair and
that novel craft 1.-The brick ship was his
| own design. He became a commodore in
| 1892 and his present commission as rear
| admiral bears date of September last His
principal service since that date has been
| in command of the North Atlantic squad
| ron in its cruise of evolution through the
West Indies.