New-York tribune., 1908-07-05
NINE REAR ADMIRALS TO RETIRE
Six Captains Will Reach
Flag Rank Within
Eight Days.
TFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]


Washington. July 4-The navy will have
t~enty-seyen rear adrnirals before the end OF the
present year, although the personnel law contem-
plates only eighteen OF these officers on the active
list of the line. The personnel law provided for
nine members OF that grade with the pay and
allowance Of an army brigadier general, and nine
Others TO rank with major generals.
But instead OF two groups of nine there Will
be enough rear admirals in the list next December
20 constitute a third of nine flag officers. all
Of them additional" numbers in the grade. This
increase OF fifty per is the result OF that
other section OF the law which provides that ad-
Nancement in rank OF officers py reason Of war
service shall not interfere with the promotion OF
officers otherwise entitled promotion.
Under this arrangement all officers advanced for
service have TO be carried on the navy list
as additional the NUMBERS OF each grade TO
which they may any time be promoted After
that they are promoted in due course, contem-
poraneously with and 10 take rank next after
the officer Immediately above them, but no promo
tion can be made 10 i'll vacancy caused by the
elimination OF any OF these extra numbers from
the navy.
Between now and January. 1893. nine rear adnirals
viii be retired at the age OF sixty-two years But
the operation Of the governing the status
Of the officers carried additional numbers for
war service is such that seyenteen-and not nine
will take the places Of those who are soon
give up active service At present there are
only two additional numbers IN the grade, one
August Is without creating vacancy, since he is
one Of the extras" advanced for war service.
Anong those who Will soon be retired for age
are Rear Admiral Cowles. chief Of the bureau Of
equipment the brother-in-law Of President Roose-
Welt: Rear Admiral DAYTON. who has for several
years been commander in chief Of the Pacific feet;
Rear Admiral Emory. who viii be second in COM
rnand over the Atlantic baItleship feet as far as
Manila and Rear Admiral John Z Pillsbury,
present chief Of navigation Rear Admiral
Thomas who died suddenly July 3. soon after
giving I'D command of the Atlantic battleship
fleet would have been retired on October /.
Captain Pillsbury only has the relative rank
OF admiral at present through his position as
chief Of the right hand bureau Of the department,
but he will reach the actual rank with the
retirement Of Rear Admiral Clover, July L. and
will be eligible for age retirement on December
Is Rear Admiral Clover will be the first Of the
list Of ten TO retire. He is president of the Board
Of Inspection and Survey, which has been engaged
in conducting the preliminary acceptance trials of
the new battleships and cruisers of the scout or
srmored class His retirement will make way for
the assignment Of Captain Thomas C Mclean TO
the presidency Of that board, becoming rear ad-
rniraI vice Cowles-
Although Rear Admiral Cowles is TO retire Au-
gust ! he is to have the opportunity of flying his
remnant at sea having been designated as one of
the United States representatives during the ter
centenary OF the founding Of Quebec, and will
sail I'D the ST Lawrence River on the new battle
ship New Hampshire
Rear Admiral Thonas's death Will not change
the total of rear adnlirals for the year Rear
Admiral Emory who succeeded him as second
IN command. is more fortunate. and while
he too. viii retire before the END OF the year,
e. does not come before the middle Of De
cer1ber and he VIII remain with the feet until II
reaches Manila. when his place at the head of the
second squadron Will be taken by Captain