The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-16
SIMPSONS SUCCESSOR.
The New Commander-in-ohie Of the
North Atlantic Squadron.

The new commander in-chief Of the
home squadron, Rear-Admiral Norman
II. Farquhar, who Will relieve RcaI
Admiral Sampson on oct. 10. was. per-
haps, the most famous man in the navy
for a little while, just ten years ago.
1t was Farquhar who commanded the
flagship Trenton at Apia, when three
American men-of-war and three Ger
man cruisers were driven ashore in a
hurricane and 40 officers and sailors
Of the two squadrons were lost The
Trenton alone of the wrecked Vesse -
lost not man from her complement Of
more than $50. The largest and most
unwieldy vessel, she was the first to
drag her anchors and drift brcadsde
toward a jagged coral reef which prom
ised destruction to all aboard. In this
emergency Farquhar's fine seamanship
and resOurcefulness led him to ADOPT
the ingenious eXpedient OF ordering the
entire crew into the port rigging. ana
wearing" the ships head 10 the gale
by means of this human sail until an
chors could hold, and the catastrophe
was averted.
With the good old Vandalla and the
Nlpsic drifting helplessly by him to the
shore. where the German wrecks were
pounding, it was Farquhar who
brought the flagship's band on deck
and cheered the fleets above the din Of
the storm with the resoundlng strains
Of The star spangled banner" giving
an inspiration to every one on that
dismal day. A third time he revived
the dropping spirits Of the men I'm the
five hours struggle against the hurri-
nura Ha hul
cheers to the British cruiser Caliiope.
steaming past them toward the open
sea into the teeth Of the gale For his
gallant conduct on this memorable oc-
casion. President Harrison rewarded
Farquhar by making him chief of the
important bureau Of yards and docks,
with the relative rank and pay Of COM
modore.
Admiral Farquhar was born in Penn
sylvania on April II. 1910, and his first
cruise, after being graduated from An
napolis in the class OF 1859 was FOR
several years along the coast OF Africa.
for the suppression Of the slave trade.
and while only a midshlpman. ne
brought TO the United States the cap
tured SLAYER Triton with a crew OF 10
men and no other officer.
During the civil war, he served as
lieutenant on various vessels OF the
hlockading squadron, being present al
both the attacks on Fort Fisher. and
until he reached the grade OF command
er and was assigned 10 the naval acad-
envy in 1872, he was continuously at
sea. Even here he commanded the
Santee for six years.
This was followed by three more
years afiOat, mostly I'm the Mediterrar -
can. in command OF the Portsmouth. the
Quinnebaug and the Wyoming. In 1851
he returned to the naval academy for
five years as commandant Of cadets ami
commander of the Constellation. Pro-
NOTED TO captain in 1856, he took con-
mand of the Trenton. and though he
lost the vessel. he was credited with
saving the $50 officers and men who
composed her crew. His service
as chief of the bureau OF yards and
docks. which lasted four years. from
March 6, 1890. was followed hy two
years as commandant OF the
League Island navy yard az
Philadelphia and a six months
cruise in command Of the Newark
After a year as president OF the naval
examining board he was promoted to
commodore and made commandant OF
the Norfolk navy yard in June, 1897
When the Spanish war began he vol
unteered for sea duty. but was retain
ed In charge of the work Of fitting out
most of the revenue cutters and many
other vessels that composed the auNil-
larry navy. the Norfolk yard being the
nearest one 10 the scene OF activity in
the West Indian waters and regarded
as perhaps the most important IN the
event Of damages 10 the vessels Of the
fieet.-New York Tribune.