The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-05-23
ADMIRAL WATSON IS HERE A COMMANDER ARRIVES
SUCCESSOR TO ADMIRAL DEWEY
IN MANILA.
Hero of Spanish Campaign on the At
lantic-Comes From Mare Island.
Will Take Command at Once.

Rear Admiral T. c. Watson Is q
through passengers by the Peking TO-
day for Manila, whittier he goes to sue
ceed Admiral Dewey in command of the
Asiatic squadron. He was appointed to
the place on May 8. AT that time he
was in command of Mare Island Navy
Yard. Rear Admiral Kempff, who has
been on waiting orders, has succeeded
Admiral Watson at Mare Island.
Admiral Watson made application in
March for the Manila post, in event OF
the return of Admiral Dewey to the
United States. His fAhie was under
consideration from that time to the
date of the appointment. The appoint
ment of Watson met with general ap-
proVal on the mainland He was one of
the senior rear admirals who had not
been provided with comfortable
berth. He is senior to Rear Admiral
Schley. The latter officer will be given
command of the European squadron
when that is formed.
Admiral Dewey will take his own
time about relinquishing command in
Manila. Or so the instructions read. 1t
is assumed, however, that he will turn
over the fleet to Admiral Watson i'm
mediately upon the arrival of the lat
ter there, and will devote the remainder
of his stay in the Philippines to finish
ing UP the work of the commission.
Dewey will leave Manila in the Olyrn-
pia, the flagship of the fleet, and VIII
journey to New York by way of the
Suez canal.
Admiral Watson has spent today
looking over the city. AS Captain Wat
son he was in Honolulu in 1892, when he
relieved Captain Sampson from the San
Francisco.
During the Spanish war Watson was
a commodore. He had charge of one or
the squadrons looking for Cervera's
fleet, but never came into the battle OF
Santiago. When the fleet was formed
to send to Spain, just before the end OF
hostilities, it was the intention of the
Administration to have Watson COM
mand it. OF the career of the admiral
the following will be of interest:
Rear Admiral Watson comes down
| from a line of American fighters. He
was born in Frankfort, KY, and was
| graduated from the Naval Academy in
| time to get aboard Farragut's flagship
and fight all through the Civil war He
! served on the flagship until peace was
! declared. 1t was Watson, then a young
| lieutenant, who lashed Farragut to the
| rigging during the battle of Mobile bay,
He is a grandson of John J. Crittenden,
who was once Encouragement of the
| United States and who wrote the ia
nous Crittenden compromise bill. He is
| a nephew of General George B. Critten-
| den and Thomas L. Crttenden, who
were among the heroes of the Civil war.
The rear admiral is a high type of Ann
erican citizen-cool, fearless, quick in
| judgment. He is tall and slender, with
| hair prematurely white, and the hands
| and face of a woman, but he Is a pru-
| dent and resourceful commander, with
| the persistence of a bulldog and the
courage of a lion. Moreover, he Is an
earnest Christian, but of the Stonewal
Jackson sort. Hard fighting follows his
praying. To his sailors he Is known as
! able Seaman Johnny" which Is con-
sidered as great a compliment as could
be given him. Watson was married In
1872 to Miss Elizabeth Thornton. a dis
tant connection, and daughter of Judge
James Thornton of San Francisco. The
result of this union was eight children
seven of whom are living. The eldest
son, John Edward Watson, is an ensigr
in the navy.