Evening star., 1915-05-16
NAVY DEPARTMENT.

Secretary Daniels has gone to New
York to take part in the ceremonies
attending the review of the Atlantic
fleet in the East river early next week
Capt. Hugh Rodman, marine superin-
tendent of the Panama canal, who was
in the city last week in consultation
with Secretary Daniels concerning af
fairs in the Canal Zone. visited sew
eral old friends in the city He was
a luncheon guest of Rear Admiral
Switzerland. retired. Tuesday at his
residence. He is at the Army and Navy
Club.
Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske. who
has just been relieved of his duties as
Secretary Daniels aid for operations,
will shortly close his home in Wash
ington. He has been granted a leave
Of absence preparatory to assuming
his duties as member of the staff of
the Naval War College, at Newport,
about July 1.
Commander Martin f. Trench who
last week was relieved of duty as de-
tail officer in the bureau of naviga-
tion. will start for the Pacific coast
within a few days to take command
of the cruiser Denver of the Pacific
fleet. His successor in the bureau Of
navigation is Lieut. Commander Will
liam D. Leahy. lately on duty with the
division of personnel
Rear Admiral John H. Upshur by spe-
clai permission of the Secretary of the
Navy is abroad on leave of absence.
Admiral Upshur who was appointed TO
the Naval Academy in 1s41 and a few
years later took part In the siege of
Vera Cruz, spent last summer in New
port. r. l. His plans for the present
summer have not yet been formula ted
Lieut.. Commander F. s. Jackson of
the wyoming and Lieut.. Commander
Charles =. Huff of the Texas have re-
ported at the Navy Department for
special duty in connection with the re-
cent target practice of the Atlantic
fleet
this city last week were Capt. G.. h.
Morgan, commanding the Minnesota;
Commander G. l.. +. Stone of the Eer-
mont. Passed Assistant Payrnaster C. +.
Parsons of the Missouri. Paymaster T.
w. LeutZe of the Dixie Paymaster II
ii. Balths. retired. of the New York
yard and Lieut.. Byron McCandiess of
the Michigan.
The torpedo boat destroyer Wads-
worth recently was launched by the
Bath iron works, and christened by
Miss Juanita D. Wells, a granddaugh-
ter OF Commodore WadsWorth, a hero
OF the war of 1872. The new vessel is
319 feet long, will burn oil and make
thirty knots an hour. Her propulsion
Is unique in that her main turbines
Will drive twin screws by means of
spiral pinions and gears, which are de-
signed for $50 revolutions per minute,
and to develop a shaft horsepower of
1850. This is the first vessel to be so
equipped in the United States Navy
Her first commander will be Lieut.
Commander Joseph K. Taussig of the
bureau of navigation, Navy Depart
ment.
The Secretary of the Navy has writ
ten letters of appreciation to A. Pelle-
grni and Frank TarlazZi two civilians
for their action in saving an eplitsed
man from drowning. at about $50 pm,
April %. 1915, off San Francisco Pei
legrini and TarlaZz were in charge of
gasoline launch when the enlisted
man, taking passage back to the l.. s. s.
ST. Louis, fell overboar I'd The launch
was a heavy one. and there was a tide
way, but the men succeeded in maneu-
verinR the boat until II was possible
to draw the unconscious enlisted man
into the boat, where he was given
successfully the first aid treatment
Rear Admiral A. e. Winterhalter
who starts next week for the orient to
assume command of the Asiatic fleet
has discussed with Secretary Bryan ia r
eastern questions in which the United
States is interested. Before leaving
the country he will talk next week
with George w. Guthrie. American am
ba ssador to Japan. now in the United
States on leave.
In the presence of the aids and bu-
reau chiefs in Secretary Daniels Of
fee Thursday afternoon. Capt. William
S Benson was sworn i'll as chief of
naval operations, which office carries
with il the rank of rear admiral Mrs
Carton and Miss Benson We're in the
Secretary's Office to witness the cere-
mony and Admiral Benson was accom-
panied by his newly appointed staff,
consisting of Capt Volney o. Chase,
senior assistant to the chief of naval
operations: Lieut. Commander Byron II.
McCandless and Lieut.. Wilson Brown
The pen with which the Secretary
signed Admiral Benson's commission
was presented to Mrs. Benson as a
souvenir.