The record-union., 1899-06-15
STORIES ABOUT WATSON.
The Man Who Will Relieve Dewey
Is an Old Comrade.

| In the selection Of Rear Admiral John
Crittenden Watson, U. S. N, as Admiral
Dewey's successor in the command OF
| the Asiatic station, officers of the navy
generally agree that Secretary Long has
made a particularly happy choice.
Secretary Long himself believes, and
says it too that Rear Admiral Watson
is splendidly equipped for his new duty,
and that officer goes to Manila carry
ing the confidence of the President, the
Secretary of the Navy and every sub
ordinate official of the Navy Depart
| ment. fighter from the drop of the
hat, of careful judgment, of firm deter
! mination, a strict disciplinarian, but
withal modest Christian gentleman
such is the man who goes to Manila to
perform the hardest task of his life
to fill the shoes that Admiral Dewey has
worn to the highest satisfaction Of the
American people.
Can he do it? The navy answers
"yes!" and there is no one who would
reply in the affirmative more heartily
than Admiral Dewey himself. Rear
Admiral Watson's confidence in his
ability to cope with the situation and
his desire to be where danger and duty
lie are shown by his application, made
months ago, to be assigned to duty as
Chief of the Asiatic
squadron when Admiral Dewey return
| ed home.
| Rear Admiral Watson is no stranger
| to Admiral Dewey Their acquaintance
began at the Naval Academy and rip
ened in battle. Dewey entered the
| academy on September 23. 1854, and
remained until 1858. Two years after
| Dewey entered Watson came end re-
mained at the academy until 1860 For
two years, therefore. Midshipman
! Dewey and Midshipman Watson lived
together within the academy grounds.
And together they fought in one cause
during the civil war. though Dewey
came from Vermont and Watson from
Kentucky. On different vessels both
participated in the Port Hudson en-
gagements of March. 1868, and they
were shipmates four years later on
board the Colorado flagship of the Eu-
ropean squadron, of which Lieutenant
| Commander Dewey was the executive
| and Lieutenant Watson the navigating
! officer. Since that time, while they
have never been on duty on the same
ship, they have come in contact fire.
quently and enjoy the most friendly re-
! lations.
| John Crittenden Watson and Rear
| Admiral Watson are two different char
acters, except in respect to modesty and
gentlemanliness, which grace the man
and the officer. Personally, Rear Ad-
miral Watson is a genial, lovable man,
straight laced Presbyterian. however,
and a devout believer in the efficacy of
prayer It is recalled of him that when
the Colorado was at Nice, thirty-two
years ago, Lieutenant Watson obtained
special leave for himself and one of the
midshipmen attached to the ship, who
happens to be Captain F. W. Dickens,
Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Navi
cation, and called upon a French
Huguenot family to, attend a prayer
meeting.
| His cruise of the Colorado furnishes
an instance of his guilelessness and con-
fidence in human nature. which has
been matter Of pleasant reminiscence
to the survivors of the dozen midship-
men then on board that vessel. Shortly
before noon 1t was the custom Of Lieu
tenant Watson to call the youngsters
on deck and direct them to take me-
ridian observations.
Stand by!" he would say Mark"
and each midshipman would take the