Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-03-15


Two important naval bureau changes
were made today consequent upon the
retirement for age of Rear Admiral
Charles O'Neil who has for seven
years been chief of the naval bureau
of ordnance. Admiral O'Neirs sue
cessor as chief of the bureau of ord
nance is Rear Admiral George A. Con-
verse, who in turn is succeeded as chief
OF the bureau of equipment by Captain
Henry N. Nancy, until now on duty
at the naval war college.
Rear Admiral O'Neil retires from ac-
tive service with a notable record as a
sailor and sea fighter. He is prac-
tically the last of the men who rose
from the lower grade in the navy to
the highest and became international
authorities by only the force of their
practical knowledge gained by hard
knocks before the mast" He went
to sea first as mere boy, his father
being one Of the oldest sea captains of
Boston. On young O'Neirs second
cruise he was shipwrecked in the East
Indies and was adrift five days in a
small boat with a few companions.
When the civil war broke out Rear
Admiral O'Neil was one Of the first
to VOLUNTEER in the navy. He was APP
pointed masters mate and was in
this rank on the famous Cumberland
when she was sunk by the Merrimac.
For his action in this incident and his
rescue of Lieutenant Morris he was
promoted to be an active master in the
navy and saw active service in many
ships and fights during the war.
His subsequent career as a Junior
omcer took him all over the world in
various duties, and in 1870 he was sta
toned in Boston as aide to Rear Adj
miral Paulding, the last port captain
OF that harbor. After this his duties
ashore were confined entirely to ord
nance studies and work. He was ord
nance officer at New York and Charles
ton and twice superintendent of the
naval ordnance factory in Washington.
In 1897 he was elevated to the rank of
captain, and short time after he was
appointed to succeed Rear Admiral
Sampson as chief of the ordnance bu-
reau. He commanded the American
ships at Bluefields, Nicaragua, during
the troubles there just previous to his
appointment as ordnance chief He
also commanded the cruiser Marble
head at the exercises marking the
opening Of the Kiel canal
Rear Admiral O'Neil, like Admiral
Melville, who for years was chief Of
the bureau Of steam engineering and
acquired a worldwide reputation in
that position. never spent day at a
technical school. He studied theory
during his spare time and with the aid
OF his practical knowledge he has pro-
duced the most powerful naval guns
in the world. Because Of his wide
knowledge OF ordnance. the department
is loath to part with him and though
40 hos hoA f1>A
service, it has been decided to send
him abroad in the near future to study
foreign armor plate and the manner
of it's production in order to see wheth-
err there is anything for the American
navy to~learn in that line
Rear Admiral George A. Converse,
who succeeds Rear Admiral O'Neil as
chief of the bureau of ordnance. is also
regarded as one of the most thorough
officers in the service. He is a native
of Vermont and graduated from the
naval academy. He commanded the
cruiser Montgomery in the Spanish
war. and was until recently in COM
mand of the battleship Illinois He is
considered one of the best authorities
on naval torpedoes..
The appointment of Captain Henry
N. Nancy to succeed Rear Admiral
Converse as chief of the bureau of
equipment has a particularly interest
ing future. Among officers here the an
pointment is credited to the presidents
admiration for his courage in taking
the battleship Massachusetts, of which
ne was in command, through Hell Gate
about two years ago. a feat which
called forth much admiration at the
time. The battleship was bound for
Boston. Captain Nancy might have
gone the long way round hut he de