Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-27
NAVAL OFFICERS RETIRED
Rear Admiral Carpenter and Medical Di.
rector Wales
Their Active Service Ceases Today
Omcers Who VIII BE Adj
vanced In Consequences.

Two naval officers of high rank were
placed on the retired list today by opera
ton OF law on account OF age. They are
Rear Admiral C. c. Carpenter and Medical
Director Philip 8. Wales.
Admiral Carpenter stands number four In
his grade, his only seniors In the navy
being Admirals Brown, Walker and RAM
say, in the order named. He Is a native of
Massachusetts and entered the navy as
midshipman in 1850. He was attached to
the brig Dolphin when that vessel was en-
gagged in tracking African slavcrs, and he
assisted in the capture of the notorious
SLAYER Echo. with three hundred slaves On
board. In 1859 he Joined the steamer Mo-
hawk. on the coast of CuOa. then, now,
the scene of insurrection. The vessel Sue
ceeded In running down and capturing the
SLAYER Wild Fire. with five hundred slaves
on board. Admiral Carpenter served with
credit during the war, first with the Mo-
hawk of the Gulf squadron, and next with
the steamer Flag of the South Atlantic
blockade. He assisted in the capture of
the steamers Anglia and Emily, and was
present at the attacks On thu defenses Of
charleston: Subsequently Re served at the
naval Academy. and in 1865 he commanded
the wyoming, on the Asatic station His
successive duties were as commander Of
the Nantasket, on the North Atlantic sta
ton. equipment officer at the Portsmouth
navy yard. commander Of the Huron.
equipment officer of the Boston navy yard
commander of the receiving ship Wabash
and commandant Of the Portsmouth navy
yard. In 1888, while In command Of the
Hartford, he carried the American and
English scientists from Callao to Caro-
line Atoll to observe the total eclipse of
the sun.
He gained the rank of commodore in
lSuS, ana within eighteen months attained
the rank OF admiral while In command Of
the naval forces on the Asiatic staten
Ills retirement will result in the promo
.lon OF commodore T: o. Selfridge to the
admiral ba "a
Ger or that name in the highest grade of
the navy, the other being his father, who
was retired in July 1856. and is now nearly
ninety years of age. Other promotions are
as follows:
Capt. A. V. Reed. commandant Of the
portsmouth navy yard; Commander F. A.
C ouh .! the bureau of navigation: Lieut..
Commander c. T. Hutch:ns. commanding
the nautical schoolship Saratoga: Lieut.. II
n: buckingham, aid to Secretary Herbert.
lie Junior grade) John H. Gibbons of
the Raleigh, and Ensign G. r.. Slocum Of
the Mare Island navy yard
ne HeAt retlrements in the list OF adj
ihlrais IN the regular order of events are
i,slht RAJ John A Walker. chairman of the
Isnt mouse board, March 20, 1897: Admiral
r. A. ramsay. chief of the bureau of navi-
gatlon' April 8, 1897. and Admiral George
XarG 1, 1om nan the Norfolk navy
!ard, June, 1897. With these retirements
Admiral W. A. Kirkland, recently raiireS
from command of TIE European squadron.
ana now on waiting orders, will become
.ne tanning oHlcer Of the navy, a dtstinc-
'loh now held by Admiral Brown
Medical Director Wales.
Medical Director Wales, who also retired
Today, is one Of the best-known of the
naval surgeons. He was closely associat-
Ell with Admirals Farragut and Porter. and
was noted as an inventor of surgical in
stfumentS and as an author on medical
SnnJects He was born at Annapolis Md.
tenrnary -, 1887. and was educated at
the Universities of Maryland and Penn
sylVanla He entered the naval service as
an assistant surgeon in 1886 and served
throughout the war. most of the time with
k'dmlrais FarraGut and Porter. He has
been stationed in this city for many years.
ana was surgeon general of the navy in
charge OF the bureau of medicine and sur
gerry Tor two terms. He is largely inter-
ested in psychological work. and has con-
dCcted many scientific experiments He
mas been prominent in the organization of
medical societies and conventions. and ha q
contributed number of papers on techni-
cal matters. large and lucrative private
practice In this city enables him to retire
from active service a rich man.
His retirement will result in the promo
tions of Medical Inspector T. n. Penrose
Surgeon W. G. FarweL, Passed Assistant
surgeon James d. Gatewood and Assistant
Surgeon Lewis Morris.