The Washington herald., 1911-07-04

Fourteen naval officers have been
placed on the retired list by direction of
President Taft, upon the recommenda-
ton OF the elimination board of rear
admirals. in accordance with the person
mel act OF March 8, 1899 This is the
largest number Of officers ever "plucked"
under this law
The officers who have been retired are:
Captains. retired as commodores, James
T. Smith, marlborough, N. c., COM
mandng officer Of the receiving ship
Hancock; John T.. Newton, Pensacola,
Fla. until recently commanding officer
Of the battleship Nebraska; Robert +.
Lopez. Davenport, Iowa, senior member
70 board Of survey of vessels on Pacific
Coast and Harry Phelps. Jersey City on
general court-martial duty at the New
York Navy Yard.
Commanders, retired as captains-Pat-
rick w. Hourigan, Albany, N. z, COM
manding officer OF the naval training sta
ton at Newport. r. l.; Harold x. Hines,
Bowling Green, KY, commanding off,
Ger Of the supply ship Glacier; Edward
T. Witherspoon, Buffalo, N. Y, COM
manding officer of the transport Prairie,
and John r. Edie, Washington, D. c.,
executive officer Of the battle ship New
Hampshire. Lieutenant commanders, re-
tired as commanders-John H. Rowan,
Philadelphia, Pa, executive officer of
the battle ship Maine; Alfred A. Pratt,
Sycamore, Ill, who has been on sick
leave since August, 1910; Ernest r. Eek
hardt, Wisconsin, executive officer Of the
receiving ship Independence. and Henry
T. Baker, Jamestown, N. Y. now on
duty at the naval stations at Cavite
and olongapo.i Philippine Islands
Lieutenants, retired as lieutenant COM
manders-Semmes Read, Maryland, who
is receiving treatment at the Naval
Medical School Hospital. Washington, d.
c., and Roland r. Riggs, Greenwich,
Conn, undergoing treatment at the Naval
Hospital. Los Animas Colo.
Creates Steady Advancement.
The naval personnel act, under which
the retirements were made, was designed
to create a steady flow Of promotion so
that officers will arrive at command rank
earlier in life and also to prevent stagna-
ton in the lower grades
To carry out these objects. a board of
five rear admirals, to be appointed an
nually in the latter part Of June, was
empowered to select q suficient number
Of officers, not exceeding fifteen, for COM
pulsory retirement, to create, together
with the natural vacancies and voluntary
retirements, a total Of forty vacancies.
During the last year there were only
twenty natural vacancies through death
and retirement. In addition, six officers
applied for voluntary retirement. This
made total OF twenty-six vacancies, and
the elimination board had to select four
teen officers to carry out the terms of the
law requiring forty vacancies annually.
The unusually small number Of natural
vacancies and voluntary retirehents made
1t necessary for the elimination board to
pluck fourteen officers. Last year only
three were selected for compulsory retire.
ment.
The officers selected for compulsory re-
tirement receive an advancement in
grade, the captains going on the retired
list as commodores, which grade is re-
tanned only on the retired list.
Lieut. Semmes Read was on duty on
the Presidents yacht, Mayhower. and was
also a naval aid at the White House
During the latter part of December, 1909.
he was thrown from q horse and injured
his spine. He has been under treatment
ct the Naval Medical School Hospital in
this city since the accident His COM
pulsory retirement will advance him to
the grade OF lieutenant commander, which
promotion his injury would have prevent
ed under ordinary circumstances.