Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-17
SUDDEN FATAL ATTACK
CAPTAIN TANNER SUCCUMBS TO
HEART TROUBLE.
Had Achieved Eminence for His Deep
Sea Surveys of the
Pacific.

Captain Zera L. Tanner, retired
naval officer with long and honorable
record, died rather Unexpectedly yesterday
morning at his home No. 22O4 r street, in
the seventy-first year of his age. For years
past he had suffered with heart trouble, but
none of the attacks had been serious up
to yesterday morning. He was then stricken
with an acute attack and despite prompt
medical attention passed quietly away.
His wife and daughter were at his bed
side. 1t was only ten days ago that Com
mander Tanner was present at the debut
of his daughter and was then apparently
in good health.
Funeral services will be held at the fam
lily home tomorrow afternoon at o'clock
Rev. U. G. B. Pierce of All Souls Church
will officiate and the interment will be made
In the Arlington national cemetery with
full military honors. The honorary pail
bearers will be Admiral Charles ONeil
Admiral R. B. Bradford, Capt. E. H, c.
Leutze. Capt Uriel Sebree. Capt. Seaton
Schroeder and Capt. Richard Wainwright.
Seamen will be the casket bearers.
Veteran of the Civil War.
Capt. Tanner was born at Warsaw, N.
Y, December ), 1885. He was educated in
the common schools, and entered the mer-
chant marine service at the age of seven
teen years. When the civil war broke out
he volunteered as a naval officer, and was
appointed to the regular service. He was
attached to the Midnight on the South At
lantic blockading squadron and at later
period of the war served on the Rhode Is
land in the North Atlantic blockading
squadron. Later he was on duty with the
Asiatic squadron.
Deep-Sea Surveys.
While on leave of absence from 1874 to
1878 he was commander of the Pacibc Mail
steamers Colon and City of Picking. From
1879 to 1894 he engaged in scientific deep
sea explorations for the government. Dur
ing that time he commanded the United
States fish commission steamers Fish Hawk
and AlbatrOSs and accomplished valuable
scientific work. He is credited with having
made the original survey for the cable be-
tween San Francisco and the Hawaiian
Islands. Early in 1883 he took the steamer
Albatros to the Pacific ocean. A voyage
was made to the Boring sea for the pur-
pose of inspecting the fur seals of that 10
cality. The work done along the Pacific
by Capt Tanner has been of great benefit
to the government.
He reached the grade of commander in
the navy in February, 1893, and was retired
in that grade in February, 1897, on account
of age. He was then in command of the
Albatross on the Pacific station. At that
time he came to Washington and lived here
up to the time of his death. He was a
member of the Metropolitan Club, Chevy
Chase Club, Loyal Legion, G. A. R.,
Geneva Cross Association, National Geo
graphic Society and several other societies.
During the Spanish-American war he
served at the naval observatory, in this
city from May 49, 1898, to February 4, 1899.
and had additional duty in the bureau of
equipment. Navy Department, during a
part of this period, from July &c 1885, to
February 4, 1899 Subsequent to the close
of the war he served at the Naval Acad-
envy from January 10, 1903 to October q,
1901 on duty in connection with steamboat
inspection service from Octover %. 1904, to
August 3 1905, when detached and ordered
home He was commissioned a captain on
the retired list from June %, 1906