The San Francisco call., 1896-08-06
NAVAL AFFAIRS OF THE COAST.
Pressure Brought to Bear on Secre'
tary Her bert for the Retention
of Admiral Beardslee.

Va, to and from light batteries. ordinary
transfers OF Eeutenants of artillery and
details of lieutenants for instruction at the
school. Battery G of the Fifth Artillery
is stationed at Fort Monroe, it being the
policy of the department to maintain at
this post one battery from each regiment.
Under the orders to be issued First
Lieutenant Edward T. Brown will be
transferred from Light Battery D, stationed
at the Presidio, to Battery G. He will
relieve First Lieutenant William R. Ham
ilton, who is ordered to take his station
with Battery G. First Lieutenant Warren
ii. Newcomb, who is thus relieved, is
ordered to duty with Light Battery f.
First Lieutenant Samuel E. Allen is de-
tached from Light Battery II and ordered
to Battery =, his place in his old battery
being taken by First Lieutenant II. c.
Carbaugh, who is detached from Light
Battery d. First Lieutenant G. G. Treat
is ordered to Light Battery d.
The other battery changes are: First
Lieutenant Thomas Ridgeway, from Bat
terry A to Light Battery F.; First Lieuten-
ant Edgar Russell. from Battery L to Bat
terry B; First Lieutenant o. /. Straub, from
Battery B to Light Battery D; First Lieu
tenant John d. Miley, from Light Battery
F to Battery 1 First Lieutenant Peyton
c. Marsh, from Light Battery F to Battery
A: Second Lieutenant William G. Ham,
from Light Battery F to Battery H;
Second Lieutenant 7. w. Winston, from
Light Battery D to Battery B Second
Lieutenant William G. Davis, from Bat
terry G to Battery K; Second Lieutenant
Louis R. Burgess, from Battery II to Light
Battery f and Second Lieutenant Charles
P. Summerall, from Battery K to Light
Battery d.
Second Lieutenant Brooke Payne has
been detached from Battery D and ordered
to duty with Light Battery f. He will be
relieved from duty with Battery l. of the
Fourth Artillery in time to join the bat
terry to which he is transferred on Octo-
Der 1. First Lieutenants William II. Cot
fin and George w. Gatchell are detailed
for instruction at the school. Second
Lieutenant William p. Pence has been
school. These officers are relieved from
duty at the school and ordered to join
their proper batteries in California: Sec
ond Lieutenant S. S. Jordan, Second Lieu
tenant Delamere Skirret and Second Lieu
tenant E. f. McGlachlin. First Lieuten-
ant Wilmot E. Ellis has been detached
from duty with Light Battery f and
II Ia
Fourth Artillery, at the artillery school
ON September 1. The officers of the new
detail for the artillery school are ordered
TO report at Fort Monroe on September l.
Rear-Admlral Beardslee has notified the
Navy Department that Immediately upon
the close of the target practice and drills
which are to be held in Fuca Straits it is
Eureka, CAL, to give the naval militia
division there q course of instruction.
The exercise which the California
militia has had has been scattered
throughout the summer months. On the
whole it has been satisfactory, although
the attendance has not been all that was
expected. This is due, it is asserted at the
department, to failure of the State authori-
ties to make the members of the militia
attend drills. The acknowledgement of the
organization and other officials are espe-
ciallv com plimented for the zeal they have
displayed.
In his report to the department Rear
Admiral Beardslee calls the attention of
the department to the fact that the conrse
adopted by the Assistant Secretary of the
Navy and the valuable recognition and
assistance given by the Government to
militia matters have aroused much enthu-
siasm among the people of the Pacific
Slope. This, he says is evidenced by the
efforts now on foot to enroll naval militia
DaJtal1OnS IN california.
In regard to recruiting on the Pacific
Coast Admiral BeardsIee says: THE
course adopted of recruiting for the ships.
as far as possible, only young American
citizens has accumulated on them large
body OF excellent men, natives of this
coast. When their terms of service have
expired and they return to their homes
there will be mingled with the people a
very strong element of we'll trained men
wi hn " ioir
militia and prove most valuable addi-
tions.
"The wide liberty that is given to the
people to see and hear something of ships
and the navy is producing most excellent
results. am speaking within the figures
in saying that from New Whatcon, to San
Diego fully 10000 people have visited the
Philadelphia, and among these there are
undoubtedly many of position and in
huence."
What Admiral Beardslee SAYS about the
desira bility of enlisting as far as possible
only young Americans is borne out by
statements made to the department by
other commanding officers of the squad
ron. The popularity of Rear Admiral
ton, among Californians is attested by
the strong effort now on foot to have him
retained in his present billet. As has
been stated in The CALL, the admiral's
tour Of sea dnty expires this month.
Pressure was brought TO bear some time
ago upon the Secretary, and the result
was the decision of that official not to re-
lieve the admiral until the conclusion of
the feet maneuvers.
The people of California are apparently
not satisfied with this extension. Letters
are being received at the department ask
ing the retention of the admiral on the
coast, one of them being. it is understood,
from Senator White. 1t can be stated,
however, that the department will find it
necessary TO relieve the admiral this fall.
The tour Of duty of an admiral is two
years, and it is rule when this time has
expired for the officer to be at once re-
lieved. There are number of officers of
the flag rank who ought to go to sea, with
few stations for them to command, and it
is for this reason that the tour is cut down
to the period named. If the Secretary re-
tains Admiral Beardsiee on the Pacific
station he will have to fight srronp infiu.