Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-04
QUITS ACTIVE SERVICE
Rear Admiral Barker Now on
the Retired List.
COMES TO THIS CITY
NUMEROUS RESULTING PROMO
TIoNs IN THE NAVY.
Record of a Busy Career, Including
Participation in the Civil and
the Spanish Wars.

Rear. Admiral Albert s. Barker. who has
just been relieved from duty in command
of the North Atlantic fleet and placed on
the retired list on account of age, has ar
rived in this city from Pensacola and taken
up his residence at 2O14 Hillyer place.
His retirement has caused the following
promotions in the navy: Capt. George Z.
Reiter to be rear admiral; Commanders
John A. Norris and E. B. Barry, to be
captains: Lieut.. Commanders Benjamin
Tappan. Charles F. Palmer and Walter Nc
Lean. to be commanders: Lieuts. B. C.
Decker. Mark L. Bristol and B. w. Wells.
to be lieutenant commanders. and Lieuts.
Gunior grade) q. H. Madison and H. b.
Soule, to be lieutenants.
In the Civil War.
Rear Admiral Barker was born in Mas
Mississippi of the West Gulf blockading
Academy from that state in 1859. From
1861 to 1863 he was on the steam frigate
Mississippi of the West Gulf Blockading
squadron, participating in the lombard
ment and passage of Forts Jackson and ST.
Philip, Chalmette batteries and the cap
ture of New Orleans in 1862. He was in
the attack on and attempted passage OF
Port Hudson, March IA. 1863. where the
Mississippi was destroyed. He then Joined
the steam sloop Monongahela. and took
part in the siege of Port Hudson, in the
fight below Donaidsville and guerilla fight
ing generally until the river was clear.
He was flag lieutenant on the Lancaster
on the Pacific station from 1854 until 1866
While on the Powhatan in July 1866. he
witnessed the bombardment of the batteries
al Callao by the Spanish fleet under Ad-
miral NuneZ. He was on the Guerriere and
Quinnebaug on the South Atlantic station
from 1867 until 1869, monitor Terror in
oh 10 ira
ton until 1873.
First to Fire Dynamite Shells.
While serving at the torpedo station in
1874 he fired shells with dynamite from "a
pound howitzers. using the ordinary pow
der cartridge So far as known he was the
first one to fire dynamite in shells on this
continent.
Among other duties he Commanded the
PaloS, on the Asiatic station in 1876 and
in the following year he took command
of the Alert at Yokohama. and while in
that vessel he searched many islands of
New Guinea and Damper Straits for
Shfpwrecked crew, and found them
While in command of the Enterprise in
1882 he ran line of deep-sea soundings
around the world. the casts being made
at intervals of about 100 miles. He
reached the Straits of Sunda six days
after the eruption of krakatoa when the
accompanying tidal wave swept into the
sea the town of AMER and overwhelmed
so many coast towns. The Enterprise
rendered much assistance to the Dutch
authorities. Rear Admiral Barker was
at Pagoda anchorage Min river, China
in 1885, when the French fleet sank the
Chinese men-Of-war, destroyed the
arsenal and demolished the forts on each
side of the river.
Member of the War Board
He commanded the Philadelphia from
1892 until 1894. the Oregon from March.
1897, until January, 1898. He was then
appointed a member OF the army and
navy board and the war board. He
commanded the cruiser Newark from
May until August, 1898. being present at
the bombardment of ManZaniIlo, July 2.
The Newark was the flagship of the
eastern squadron, under orders for the
coast of Spain. Rear Admiral Barker
commanded the Oregon from August
1898 until May, 1899, and commanded
the special service squadron for the
the command of the Asatic station and
assisted the army in driving the insur-
gents from the district between Ma
Mia and Cavite. He was commandment
of the Norfolk yard from October, 1899,
until July, 1900, and was then appointed
commandant of the New York yard. He
reached the grade of rear admiral in
October 1890, and was in command of
the North Atlantic fleet from April, 1903,
until his retirement.