Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-10

Admiral william 8. Benson, who Is re-
rarded as a Philadelphfan because of his
long stay here as Commandant of the Navy
Yard, will direct Uncle Sans fighting forces
in the sea battles with Germany
He gave orders on the day that war was
declared which sent 10000 men into action.
As'chief of operations and president of the
General Board Of the Navy great respon-
sibility will rest on his shoulders during
the present conflict
During the many years that Admiral
Benson was stationed here he won hosts
of friends. He not only improved the Phila-
delphia Navy Yard to a very high degree
but became loyal Philadelphian in every
sense Of the word.
When the EVENING LEDGER revived in
terest in the subject Of high-speed transit
and entered into the fight for system
Advocated by former Director Taylor, Ad-
miral Benson gave valuable and practical
cooperation. In the case of the Broad
Street subway he realized Immediately the
necessity Of connecting a high-speed line
with the navy yard.
He found through investigation that the
present surface lines lost considerable time
In carrying men to the yard and also caused
them no end of inconvenience Admiral
Benson also realized that a speedy under
ground line would be of great value for the
quick mobilization of men at the yard.
With the former Transit Director he ad-
dressed several meetings in this city in
which he pointed out the necessity for the
hgh-speed system at the earliest possible
moment. Incidentally. he won host of
supporters for the plan.
The Admiral, who is sixty-two years old,
has q record which warrants his selection
for the imnOrfqnf Hxybio t,a
cupies. In demeanor he IS just the opposite
OF what the average person would picture
He is quiet and unassuming. Nevertheless
one can detect determination behind his
genial attitude
He entered the Naval Academy shortly
after the Civil War and his first sea duty
was as junior officer on the old Hartford.
which was then the flagship of the South
Atlantic fleet. He served short period
8 on the Essex and was then sent to the
Brooklyn Navy Yard, where he remained
until 1888. 1t was there that his accurate
Judgment and efficiency first attracted at
tention. He was ordered to Join the Greelv
polar relief expedition and on his return
was made captain. In 1890 he was as
signed to the dispatch boat Dolphin, on
which he made tour of the world Sub
eequently he was sent to the Naval Academy
as an instructor He inspected the ma :
terial for the first modern sea fighters
hhowH as the Wnlte squadron. Admiral
Benson also served in the Photographic
once as an instructor in naval architecture
and has been in command of many of the
modern battleships. At all his posts he
showed superior ability.
Admiral Benson became commandant of
the Philadelphia Navy Yard on August Is,
1913, when he was a captain. He was a
strong advocate Of the movement for a
deeper channel in the Delaware and did
much to improve the standing of the Phila-
dephia Navy Yard generally.
He was promoted to his present post on
June 3, 1915. Admiral Benson's office is
bare room, with the exception Of large
nat-top desk, in the State War and Navy
Building in Washington. He may be found
at his post almost any hour Of the day or
night.