Evening star., 1901-11-14
ADM lRAL EVANS STATION
WILL COMMAND ONE OF THE FLEETS
IN THE EAST.
In Line With Policy of the Depart
ment in Giving Every Flag officer
n Sea Command.

Secretary Long intends to send Rear Ad-
miral RobIey d. Evans out to the Asiatic
station to be second officer in command.
Both Admiral Remey. commander-in-chief
of that station, and Admiral Kempf, junior
squadron commander. will return soon to
the United States, having served out the
term allotted for service in Asiatic waters.
This will leave Rear Admiral Rogers, now
81 nior squadron commander, in supreme
command. Though it has not yet been de
cided, it is very probable that there Will
not then be three admirals on the Asiatic
station, as at present, for officers of that
rank are needed for service at home and
two rear admirals, it is thought, will suf-
flee.
On His Way to Samoa.
Rear Admiral Evans is now his way
to Tutuila, Samoa, and will serve as presi-
dent of the general court-martial for the
trial of Captain B. F. Tilley, the naval
governor at that place. on charges OF in
toxication preferred by missionaries, in case
preliminary investigation of the matter
warrants his trial by such a court. His
present orders contemplate that instead of
returning to the United States on the con-
cuson of his duties at Tutuila he shall go
to China and assume command of one of
the two large fleets that station Ad-
miral Evans is one of the youngest officers
of his grade in the navy, and this will be
his first experience in command OF
squadron.
Rear Admiral Rodgers. who will be the
commander-in -in-chief of the entire Asiatic
fleet when Rear Admirals Remey and
Kempff are detached, reached the station
on the flagship New York last spring, and
under ordinary circumstances will remain
on that station another year. When he is
relieved and brought home it is probable
that the command of the naval forces In
the Philippines and in. China will devolve
Il IralE yon hon
have a year more to serve at sea. 1t is
said that these changes are made in accord
ance with the policy of limiting the sea
duty of flag officers to two years and of
giving every flag officer a sea command
soon as practicable. The orders in the
case Of Admiral Evans were arranged in
Washington soon after he closed his testf-
mony before the Schley court of inquiry
and before his departure for Tutuila He
had several conferences with Secretary
Long on the subject, and it was then ar
ranged that his duties as member of
the prospective Tilley court-martial were
only preliminary to his assignment to an
important command on the Asiatic sta
ton.
The South Atlantic Station.
It is understood that Admiral Evans was
originally considered in connection with
the vacancy in the command of the South
Atlantic station. which has existed since
the transfer of Rear Admiral Cromwell to
the European station, and that Admiral
Evans showed such a strong Discrimination
to that assignment that the plan was re-
considered and the conclusion reached to
grant his request for duty In Asiatic waters
Secretary Long is finding some difficulty in
filling the vacancy on the South Atlantic
but 1t is expected that the matter will be
settled in a short time by peremptory or
ders to some available officer. Rear Ad-
miral Schley is the last officer who has
served a full term as commander of the
South Atlantic station, he having been Or
dered there soon after the conclusion of the
Spanish war.