The San Francisco call., 1898-08-13
CAREER OF REAR
 ADMIRAL KIRKLAND
Saw Service as Mtdshipman on the California Coast in the Early
 Fifties.

William A. Kirkland was born in North Carolina 62 years ago. He enter ed Annapolis in 1850, and after gradu- ating made his first cruise on the sloop- of-War Portsmouth, which was attach ed to the Pacific squadron. Thus young Kirkland, as a nidshipman, saw service on the California coast and in the har- bor of San Francisco before the navy yard at Mare Island was established. During the years following his experi- ence in the navy was as uneventful as usual in times of peace. When the war broke out he was a lieutenant and at tached to the steamer Pulaski, off the Brazil coast.
 The following year he was promoted to lieutenant commander and assigned to the Jamestown in the China station In 1864 he was commanding the ironclad Winnebago, in the Western Gulf squad ron. He took part in the movements against Mobile, which resulted in the capture of that city. In 1869 he was com- missioned commander and in 1880 pro- noted to captain. In 1893 he became a commodore and two years later rear admiral. In June, 1896, he was assigned to the command of Mare Island. When
 
 ranking rear admiral in the navy which position he continued to hold until the Sd of July last, when by the age limit he went on the retired list He was continued in the command of Mare Island, however, under special order of the President up to the time of his death.
 Rear Admiral Kirkland was the last of the class of the naval academy of 1850 to retire from active service. Of the tWenty-one graduates with Kirk land only Rear Admirals Beardsley, Carpenter, Potter, Ramsey and Walker remain, and they have all been on the retired list for some time.
 In the earlier days of the navy up to the war of the Rebellion the midship- men spent most of their time at sea, and the apprenticeship as officers and subsequent junior service was chiefly in cruising vessels, and this accounts for the many years of sea service which the older officers have as @ rule to their credit, and Kirkland headed all of his class with a record of g years g months at sea out of a total service of 47 years and II months.
 KirklandS first war experience was at the age of 27 years, as lieutenant commander, and serving as navigating officer of the United States steam sloop Wyoming under the command of Com mander David McDougal, when that gallant officer engaged the batteries and armed vessels at Simonosaki, Ja- pan, in July, 1863. and gave the Japa- neSe rebels a wholesome lesson. Of the officers shipmates with Kirkland, only Pay Inspector George Cochrane and Chief Engineer Philip Inch are yet liv- ing and in active service. Returning home he served with credit through the war, and at it's conclusion solicited and readily obtained sea service on the South Atlantic station, and where he almost constantly served for nearly 20 iears His only sea service away from Ddontevideo and it's attractions was while in command of the Europeon sta ton from April 30, 1894, to November 12 1895. The usual period of command is two years, but Kirkland and the Demo- cratic administration did not harmon ize; there was nothing of diplomat about Kirkland, and his bluff, honest candor was not what Cleveland and his Cabinet wanted in dealing with the