Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-12
Department Wants Commanders
Whose Experience Can be USE
full in Years to Come.
ONLY A FEW HAVE SHORT TERMS
Most Men in Command viii Remain
On Active List More Than Three
Years--Fcar Admiral, Now at
Hague, Selected for Head of At
lantic Fleet Division.

:" H''ii'.Nhl ON, H. ", july IL
Rear Admiral s. c. Sperry, naval
member OF the American delegation
ut the second Hague Peace Confer.
cncc, hns been selected to command
division OF the Atlantic battle shin
llect, 70 I'LL the vacancy which will
be created when Roar Admiral G. H.
Davis, now commanding the second
squadron OF the ilcot retlrcs In
August
The plan is for Rear Admiral
Thomas now commanding The second
uiNision, to succeed Rear Admiral
Davis us commander OF tho second
squadron, consisting of the third and
fourth divisions. Rear Admiral Sper
ny VIII thcn become commander of
the second division. which now con-
slsts of the Virginia. the Georgia, tho
New Jersey and the Rhode Island.
ltcnr Admiral Emory will continue to
ily his flag over the Ohio rs com
mandcr of the fourth division.
In addition TO This important
change, Captain Joseph Is. Murdoch
VIII bc ordered to command the
ltlodo Island, to succeed Captain
Charles @, Bowman, just retired.
Means YOUNG Men Only.
The Significance OF this change ana
oi the recent orders to Captain Henry
McCrea 10 command the Georgia and
Captain Reginald r. Nicholson To
command the Nebraska. now in the
Pacific IL that battle ship commands
are being given only TO those captains
who are sufficiently young that the
experience they will gain in such duty
VIII he n benefit to the service when
they go again to sea. While many
captains who are due for retirement
III TWO or three years are as eminent
~ htled as any younger officer for
tue command Of Il battle ship II is
not as important to givu thom the
experience at sen MS IT Is to give t
to officers who will continue I'm tho
service for five or six years longer.
Captain Nicholson has just been
promoted to his grade and has more
than seven years to serve Captain
Murdoch has six years yet on tho
active list. and Captain McCrca the
same.
Other. battle ship commanders in
the Atlantic feet have these periods
to serve until they reach the statutory
retiring age of sixty-two years Cap.
tain Ostcrhans. of the Connecticut.
SIX years. Captain Vreeland, of tho
Kansas, seven years; Captains VAIN
wright. of the Louisiana; Potter, of
the Vermont, and Schroeder. of tho
virginia, five years each; Captain
kimhall. of the New Jersey, three
years: Captain Comfy, OF the Ala
bama, four years; Captain l.lockling-
er, of the Illinois, two years; Captain
Barry, of the kentucky, four years;
Captain Winslow, of the Kcarsarge.
three years; Captains ieliner, of The
ONO; Harder. of the Maine, and MGR
Ram of the Missouri, four years each,
and Captain Hubbard, of the Mime
sofa. seven years.
Two 90 Retire This Year
OF the officers who have compare
lively short limo left on the active
list, Captain Wlnslow, will have fin
ished his cruise in October and Cap
tain Comfy in December next. If
the same rule obtains IN orders to
their successors some of the captains
recently promoted or to be promoted
between now and that time will get
the commands
The advanced age at which Ameri
can naval officers reach important
command rank has been keenly felt
i'll the service for several years. Rear
Admiral Evans is the only officer
who has enjoyed flag rank enough to
take two cruises as a fleet command
or and the result OF the experience
is shown in the efficiency Of his com.
mand, the Atlantic fleet.
Officials ., the Bureau of Equip
ment say that. owing to the excellent
of the sixteen battle ships
which are to make the trip to the Pa
ciilc, it is not likely much additional
work will be required OF the bureau
this summer Adequate arrange
ments for coaling and providing col
licrs for the trip. If the fleet goes by
way of Cape Horn, will demand some
additional attention. but otherwise
the bureau will not be overtaxed