The times., 1899-04-28
THE RETIRING BUREAU CHIEF.
Something of Paymaster General
Stewards Career In the Navy.

Something of Paymaster General
Stewards Career In the Navy.
In about week will occur the first re-
tirement OF bureau chief in the Navy
department with his new rank OF rear ad-
miral. On May Paymaster General Ed
win Stewart goes upon the retired list for
age.
Rear Admiral Stewart was born In New
York city on May 5. 1897. After a prepara-
tory training at the Phillips Academy in
Andover. Mass, he entered Williams Col
lege. which has since conferred upon him
the degrees of b. A. NJ A. and LII. d. He
had intended to practice law. but as he
was beginning to read he was appointed In
september, 1861. an assistant paymaster IN
the Navy. His first service was aboard the
gunboat Pembina in the expedition against
Port Royal The next year he was pro-
NOTED to be paymaster. and on the Rich
mond took part with the Hartford IN Far
| ragut's operations at Port Hudson ard in
Mobile Bay.
| After the war he served three years on
the lakes aboard the Michigan, which was
watching and frustrating the efforts of
the Fenians to effect landing in Canada;
| the Michigan finally captured an expsdi-
ton which was working its way across
Niagara River. In 1863 Stewart was or
| dered for three years to the head of the
| Thence he went with the Hartford 30 the
Asiatic station as fleet paynaster. 1t was
on the way home from this cruise that the
| Hartford received orders to go to Tripoli
and demand satisfaction OF a pasha who
had treated a United States Consul with
| indignity. The Hartford found the Con-
| gress already on the spot, and the Ameri-
| can demand for an apology was forth
| coming easily within the forty-eight hours
|
| UP his mind.
| The next fifteen years OF Stewart s
career included term at the New York
navy yard, and another as head of the
| purchasing pay Office in New York. and q
more picturesque experience as fleet pay
master on the European station, in the
| course of which he was enabled to be
present at the coronation OF the late Car
| of Russia In 1886 he had been made a
pay inspector; and in 1890, President Har-
rison, in search for particularly COM
| petent officer, selected Stewart for his
| Paymaster General, reaching over the
| heads of thirteen pay directors in order
| to single him out.
Stewards reappoiptment by President
| Cleveland was not only unexpected. but
| done in very graceful way. The Pay
master General met the Secretary OF the
| Navy one March morning in the street and
| the Secretary enquired: when does your
term expire?" The Paymaster General told
him and the Secretary brought the matter
| up in the Cabinet meeting, which he was
| then on his way to attend. The President
said: IF this man is all that you repre-
sent him to be. send over his name to-day
Mr. Herbert did so and the President sent
the nomination to the Senate at once. SC
that it was confirmed six weeks before the
| first term had run out. Secretary Long
| acted with equal promptness and courtesy
and without any application from Stewart
This gives bipartisan character to this
appreciation of Stewards services which is
very refreshing in such an atmosphere oi
official wire-pulling and military politics
| as this.