Evening star., 1898-04-26

Will Become n Men.ber of the Naval
Strategic Board.

Will Become a MeRAber of the Naval
Strategic Board.
The impending retirement of Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt from, the Navy De
partment will necessitate the reorganiza-
tion of the strategic board. which is charg-
ed with the important duty of formulating
plans Of naval operations In the present
war with Spain. Mr. Roosevelt will be sue
ceeded as president Of the board by Rear
Admiral Sicard, formerly commander-in-
chief of the North Atlantic station and now
acting in an advisory capacity to the Sec
retary of the Navy. Probably the mos,
important change in the personnel of the
board. however, Is that made by the retire
ment from 1t of Rear Admiral Walker and
the substitution In his place Of Captain
the retired list and each occupies special
ly high position in the service. Admiral
Walkers detachment was due to the ne
cessity Of his giving more of his time to
the preparation of the report of the Mica
ragua canal commission, of which he is
president. Since the return of that board
from Nicaragua Admiral Walker has been
acting as member of the naval strategic,
board, and consequently has been com
PEELED to defer the preparation Of the re-
port of the Nicaragua canal commission.
Capt. Mahan Is krown the world over as
an authority on raval operations and
strategy, and his assignment to duiv on
the strategic board will undoubtedly add
much to its efficiency in handling the many
delicate and important questions of naval
warfare which will undoubtedly arise dur
ing the progress of hostilities with Spain
capt. Mahan Is now IN Rome where he
went few weeks ego to devote himself to
the completion Of certain literary work re-
iating to naval warfare. Inasmuch as ne
Is on the retired list he was not subject
orders q rt oont
the passage of the act Of Congress yester-
day declaring the existence of war with
Spain. Under the statutes retired officers
of the navy are subject TO active duty only
vaiue of Capt. Mehan's services in the
present emergency, Secretary Long lost
NO time in taking advantage of his prerog-
atives and ordering Capt. Mahan back to
the United States at oEce for duty in this
city as member of the naval strate gic
beard.
During the trouble with Chile in rho
Harrison administration Capt Mahan was
similarly summoned to Washington and
rendered good service in the preparation of
strategic plans for the operation of the
naval movements against Chile, which
were recognized as most thoronyh snd
complete. but which were never executed
because Of the settlement of the points AT
issue by diplomatic negotiations without
recourse to hostilities.
Two other members of the sf RI tev;c ho, -,
have been relieved from that duty and or
dered to 'sea- These are Captain Barker
naval aid to the Secretary Of the NAVY
who has been selected to command tho
cruiser Newark, about to go into commits
sion at Norfolk, and Commander Richard-
son Clover. chief of the bureau of naval in
telligence, who hhas been ordered to take
command of the ,gunboat Bancroft, recent
ly assigned to the North Atlantic snuadror
Lieut.. Commahder Richard Wainwrieht
who was executive officer of the Mains at
the time of her destruction, was rendered
the Office of chief Of the bureau OF naval
command 3t sea. and he has been prom
ised the command OF the auxiliary cruiser
cors coTsair. recently purchased puff from j. Pier
Capt John R,sBartlett, retired, was to-
day ordered to duty As chief Of uhe naval
mined whether he wfJR be memb.r of The
naval strategic bpard.
That board. 50 far Ias reorganized win
hereafter consist of Rear AZmiraI sicard
as president Captain A. IT. Mahan and
Commander Crowninshaeld,. and possihIv
retary of the navy, and Commander
Clover's successor as chief of the bureau
Of naval intelligence. It Is also poss,hio
TN view Of the present policy of the sec,
retary OF the Navy, to, assign retired of
1cers to departmental duty, in order that
the active officers there may be given more
important assignments efioat, that Corn
mander Crowninshield may, also be relieved
from duty on the board, as wen as chief
Of the bureau of navigation, and assicne1
to the conAafM OF some vessel In COM
mission.
Mr. William Howell. formerly private
secretary to Assistant Secretary Roose-
accept the position 0f secretary to ths
naval strategic board.