The Forrest City times., 1898-06-17
SIMPSONS PROSPECTS
The Commander of the North Ar
lantic Squadron Will Soon
Move Up a Peg.
REAR-ADMlRAL KIRKLAND TO RETIRE
stiIl Higher Honors May Await the Com
mander to Whom Has Been Paid tn,
Highest Compliment Ever Paid to a,
Ofioer In the Navy of the United
States.

WASHINGTON, June l5.-Acting AID
miral William +. Sampson, command.
ing the naval forces operating in the
West Indies, whose actual rank in the
navy is that of captain, will become a
commodore on the third proximo by
the statutory retirement OF Rear-Ad.
miral VIM. A. Kirkland, commandment
of the Mare Island Cali navy ward
who is now the ranking officer of the
navy.
In the event of successful perform
ance of the important duties assigned
him in the West Indies, including the
capture and occupation of Santiago de
Cuba and san Juan de Puerto Rico. o.,
which his friends have no doubt what
ever, Capt. Sampson is also assured
of further promotion to the actual
rank of rea..admiral, being the
highest grade to which he
can attain unless congress shall
recreate the grade of admiral O,
vice-admiral for his special benefit
Those offices were established dur.
ing the war of the rebellion, and lapsed
with the death of their last .incum
DtnbSs hNiuii a VI ItI anu NlCe-Au
miral Rowan. The plan of promotion
adopted by President Mckinley in the
case Of Admiral Dewey and his cap
tains for their great achievement in
the harbor of Manila will be followed
in case of similar victories by Sampson
and his captains on this side of the wa
ter.
In addition to Admiral kirkland.
Ave other admirals will retire during
the next few months by operation OF
law on account of age. They are Adj
miral Joseph N. Miller, commanding
the Pacific station: Admiral Mont
gomery Sicard, president of the war
board; Admiral L. O. Matthews, presi-
dent of the examining and retiring
board; Admiral L. 5. Bunce, COM
handing the New York navy
yard, and Admiral c. S. Norton,
commanding the Washington navy
yard. With the exception of Admiral
Miller, all of these officers are likely
to be retained in their present places
after their retirement during the con-
tinuance of the war with Spain, be-
cause of the non-availibility of officers
on the active list to take their places.
Retired officers are subject to duty
of this kind in time of war
at the discretion of the president. 1t
is different, however, with Admiral
Miller. He is in command of feet,
and retired officers are not eligible for
for such duty unless specially au.
thorized by act of congress. Admiral
Kirkland is a native of North Caro-.
lima, and it is his purpose to make
his home in that state when he is
relieved from duty. OF the seven
rear admirals only two are in command
of feets-Admiral Miller, command.
ing the Pacific squadron, and Admiral
Dewey, commanding the Asiatic squad
ron. OF the six officers having flag
commands, two are full rear-admirals
one is an acting rear-admiral, and the
others are commodores. Admiral Mil
Ter, the senior officer, has three YES
sells in his squadron, and acting
Rear-Admiral Sampson, the junior OF
them all, has over seventy vessels UNI
der his command. The last-named Off
Ger does not attain the actual rank OF
flagofficer until he becomes a com
modore next month by the retire.
ment of Admiral Kirkland. HE
rank as captain, which he now
bears in the naval register, would
not ordinarily entitled to higher com.
mand than that of single vessel, and
In putting him in command of the
largest and most powerful fleet tn at
was ever gathered under the United
States flag, the president found
1t necessary TO give him the
nominal rank of acting rear
admiral. That designation clothed
him with all the authority necessary to
the execution of the highly important
duty contided in him, but carried with
II no increase of pay or emoluments,
and no permanency of rank. No
greater compliment was ever paid an
officer of the United States navy.