The evening times., 1898-06-09
VETERANS IN ACTIVE SERVICE
Naval Officers VIII Not BE Retired
During thGeWnr.

Although Rear Admiral W. A. Kirkland
commandant of the Mare Island nav,
yard, will retire by operation of law BY
July 3, 1t has been practically decided b,
the Navy Department to continue him IL
his present position until peace is de
clared. 1t is highly probable that the
same policy will be followed with respect
to other naval officers who may be re-
| tired before the end of the war.
Rear Admiral Montgomery S!card, chair
| man of the Naval War Board, reaches ths
retiring age on September 30 next, but nc
one in official circles hesitates to say that
he will be retained in the office he now
j holds until the war is ended. Rear Ad.
miral c. S. Norton. commandant of tbs
| Washington navy yard. who retires in
August, will also remain at his presen,
| post.
| AS result of their examination of the
| law under which Rear Admiral Dewey
| was promoted, naval officials have reach
ed the conclusion that there is nothing in
that statute to bar the promotion of Of
| ficers when Rear Admiral Kirkland is re-
| tired, on July 8. Rear Admiral Dewey
will be continued as an additional rear
| admiral until his retirement.
Navy authorities have determined to
leave open for the present the question
as to whether he is entitled to ten years
on the active list in consequence of the
vote of thanks rendered him by Congress,
but the law experts of the department are
of the opinion that the Attorney General,
when the question is presented to him,
will decide that the law applies only to
those officers who received the thanks of
Congress for gallant service in the war
of the rebellion, and not to officers SO dis
had -
Commodore F. V. McNair will be pro-
NOTED to flag rank upon Rear Admiral
kfrkland's retirement, and 1t is expected
that he will be ordered to to undergo ex-
animation for promotion within couple
of weeks His promotion will create a
vacancy in the grade of commodore for
Capt. w. T. Sampson. who now has the
acting rank of rear admiral.
1t has been determined not to order that
officer before a board, but his record will
be sent to the examining board, now sit
ting in Washington. and there is no doubt
that upon its character that organiza-
tion will recommend his promotion. 1t
is possible in view of the way in which
Rear Admiral Sampson has been con-
Quoting operations in the present war
that after his promotion to the grade of
commodore the President may urge that
he, too. be given a vote of thanks, which
will result in comforting upon him the
grade of rear admiral and the consequent
creation of an additional officer of this
grade. increasing the number on the ac-
tive list to eight.
Capt. Simpsons promotion will result
in the advancement of Commander F. w.
Dickins to his captaincy. Commander
Dickins has already qualified for promo
tion. At present he is on duty as princi-
pal assistant to Capt. A. S. Crowninshield,
Chief of the Bureau of Navigation.
Naval officers are highly commencing
Paymaster General Edwin Stewart for
the business-like manner in which he has
been furnishing the Navy with all neces-
sary clothing and food supplies, and COM
parison. greatly in favor of the Navy,
has been made with the methods pur-
sued by the Army in equipping and feed
ing the troops hastily put into service.
Congress having recently appropriated
money for the purpose, the paymaster
general has invited proposals for supply
ing the Navy with several million dol
lars worth of supplies.