New-York tribune., 1904-10-03
OLD OFFICERS GOING.
ROdgerS's Retirement LeaUes Fec
Grill Var Veterans in the Nary.


runners and Confederate privateers are fast dsap-
pearing from ;he active list: not because they
have become too old and decrepit 80 perform duty
but because they have reached the age or sixty
two years, the constitutions! limit OF their useiu-
ness as prescribed by acts Of Congress. Within a
Few months two more Of these navy veterans
Rear Admiral Frederick Rodgers. comnandant OF
the New York naval station, and Captain John
Addison Baxter Smith. the head Of the depart
ment OF steam engineering, VIII reach the age OF
retirement and viii be laid the shelf" Each
Of these officers has record as defender OF has
country which VIII live 4ong after they are gone
and Of which the country, well as their descend
ants has reason be proud. Admiral Rodgers
Is native Of Maryland. and was born October
s. 1872; hence he VIII be retired on that date this
year He only fifteen years OF age when he
was. appointed a rnldshipman AT the Naval Acad-
eTny. but he. was graduated before his full Tour
years course had been completed because of his
wish 20 take part En- defending ne Urion, and was
appointed acting master corresponding in
rank 10 a Hrst lieutenant IN the army in April,
1891 and was ordered to duty the Santee. Soon
that vessel captured the brig Delta from
the Confederates and she was sent north a
prize with young Rodgers in command. lie was
promoted to Lieutenant July l6 1867. lie was
executive officer Of The Kineo, and took pari in
the engagements at Donaldsonville Port HUDSON
and College Point. La, in 1S62 Later lie was or
dered 10 the Grand Gulf. in the West Gulf block
sding squadron, and remained upon her till the
close Of the war.
On July - lh5b, he was promoted 10 lieutenant
commander and was detailed on the Sacramento,
remaining with that vessel till she lost in
storm in the Bay OF Bengal. June 6. 1861. After
that he served in short cruises on the lakes and
the North Pacific station till 1872, when he was
ordered TO ordnance duty at the Washington Navy
Yard for a year, and then detailed com
nander Of the Dispatch, special service till 1875
He was promoted 10 the rank Of commander on
February T. 1875. and he commanded the Adams
on the Pacific station from 1917 10 1879 and the In
II 10
captain occurred on February 26. 1890, and he was
commander Of the cruiser Philadelphia from Sep
tember. 1890 for two years. He has had several
years of service in the Lighthouse Department.
Inspector on the Lakes in 1876 and 1884, at Phila-
6elphia from 1881 1883. and in charge Of the Light
house Department from 1883 to September. 1890 He
was detailed as Supervisor of New-York Harbor
from July, 1892, 10 September, 1888, ana was then
ordered TO duty as second in command Of the New
York Navy Yard. where he remained till June TO-
1896. He then took command Of the battleship
Massachusetts, On December !. 1887. he de-
tailed president Of the Board Of Inspection and
Survey, remaining this duty till May. 1891. when
he was sent 10 the Aoatic station senior COM
mandant. lie was promoted TO commodore on
September o. 1925 and when that grade vas abol-
ished by the provisions Of the Personnel law, OF
March g. 1929 he became rear admiral He was
detached from the Asiatic station December q.
1902. and ordered as c5Inmandant OF the New-York
naval station March q, 1903. There he has been
prominent n civil. well as military functions,
and popular officer. His successor has been Sc
lected in the person OF Rear Admiral Joseph B.
Coghlan. recently in command of the Caribbean
Squadron of the North Atlantic feet.
Captain J. 4. 3. Smith is also a Marylander.
and was born in Baltimore March p, 1873, hence he
viii be retired March q next year. and with
She rank Of admiral. by reason Of his Civil
War record. TIe was educated in the Baltimore
public schools and graduated from the Dick
fnson Seminary, Wiiamsport Penn. He learned
the machinist's trade at the works of Reeder &
Sons. Baltimore and after a rigid examination by
g naval board was appointed third assistant
gtneer in the navy April 2 1853. He was ordered
TO the gunboat Housatonic. then of Charleston.
s. c. in June, and served on that vessel until she
was blown up by a rebel torpedo boat the night
of February L. 1854. he was rescued by a boat
from The Canandalgua, but, owing 10 the crowded
Wabash and served On Ter unti Nav wbe2 he
was ordered TO the Paul Jones. He was in the
engaEeIneIts Of Stono Inlet and Ossiban Sound. On
Eistant engineer and ordered to the Mohongo
served tiI after the end Of he rar when he made
the trip from Newly ork 10 san Francisco on the
Aohongo' and was detached from her on August T.
His next. duty was as a member Of the special
and isSS Later h. Vas an ocer on the Seminole
when she was sent out TO capture the pirate
steamer Telegr9ph. reported 10 be At Samaria Bay
lte was detached in December, 1863, and eight
months afterwaud ne was ordered as chief engineer
OF the Mayhower and went in that vessel to Mexico
Vey the route FOR the Tehuantepec Canal. He re-
6ered TO the League Island Navy Yard where he
served I'll July. 1873. when he was ordered 20 the
monitor Saugus which was sent 10 Cuba in
nection with the settlement Of the Yirginus con-
tT0Versy. Then he went 20 the Pensacola Navy
Yard with the SaugCs and was detached 10 be chief
Of the engineering department at the yard and
served there during the yellow fever epidemic Of
1Sa In Deccmhr, $50 le was ordered 10 the Hart
ford feet engineer Of The North Atlantic Squad
ron serving Till August lS71 He at for
TIE next six years as an officer OF the Wyandotte
and the TallapOOsa. In September. 1888, he was
detailed for duty Al the Norfolk Navy Yard. and
served there until May, ISL. when he ordered
during all of her trial trips. and until November.
1gSS II December following he became a member
Of the Naval Advisory Board Al Washington. until
April 1877 when ne was % tailed 10 inspection duty
Al CTamp 4 sons slipbuil ling works in connec-
uon with the building OF the cruisers Philadelphia
anu Baltimore and later n Baltimore superiu-
tend the construction of Cruiser No. E.
Upon the enactment Of The Personnel law, March
3, 1888, which abolished the engineer corps. Chief
Engineer Smith became commander in the line.
and he was promoted 10 captain in June. 1902 From
lsS6 Till 1888 he head Of the steam eneineering
department ~ the Norfolk Navy Yard. and during
the Spanish war he was frequently duty till
late al ght and on sunday well getting vessels
ready for service. Then. June g. 1893 he was
ordered 10 similar duty az the New-York Navy
constructon and equipment Of the engine and
boiler building shops in place of those burned
1re al that yard. These shops are said 10 be the
best arranged and most completely equipped of any
Ike works in the country. and where the machinery
and boilers OF The largest well "a the smallest
vessels be designed and built complete.
Captain Smith has also had the supervision OF
building and installing the machinery OF the 5000
ton batueship Connecticut, building and the
cruiser Chattanooga and torpedo boats o BTien
and Nicholson. taken from the Crescent Shipbuild-
ing Works after their failure lie is a member OF
the American Society OF Naval Engineers. Society
OF Naval Architects ard Marine Engineers, Army
Legion.