Evening star., 1939-12-20

Army and Navy and Metropolitan
Clubs, where he played bridge and
discussed current affairs. He was
known as Uncle Reggie" to his init
mate friends.
Consulted earlier in the year on
the war situation after the torpedo
ing of the British Royal Oak, the
veteran naval officer predicted ulti-
mate supremacy of the seas for
Britain and her allies. In spite of
submarine and bombing planes, he
said, the battleship is still the
backbone of any fleet" He was an
ardent supporter of the administra-
tions foreign and naval expansion
policies.
Career Began in 1864.
His 56-year naval career, which
spanned the Civil, Spanish-Amer-
ican and World Wars, began in 1864.
At that time, his father, Comdr.
Somerville Nicholson, U. S. NJ, was
in command of the State of Georgia.
The ship put into Hampton Roads in
July. her regular captains clerk be-
came i'll and Comdr. Nicholson per-
suaded his son to take the posi-
ton.
Shortly afterward, the ship put to
sea and fire broke out In her boiler
room, but was put out Is minutes
later. Asked if he got a thrill from
the incident, Admiral Nicholson said
he was too seasick to know any
thing about it.
A native of Washington, Admiral
Nicholson was appointed to the
Naval Academy in 1869, shortly be-
fore his 18th birthday. Graduated
in 1873. he was on sea duty four
years, being sent to Washington
Navy Yard in 1877 for ordnance
instruction.
In later years, he served several
tours of duty in ordnance and in
the Bureau Of Navigation, Navy De-
partment, which was the top bureau
in the department setup before
establishment of the Office of Naval
Operations. He was head of the
Bureau of Navigation from 1909 to
1912.
Admiral Nicholson's first battle
ship command was the U. S. S.
Nebraska. After service on many
naval vessels, he was made navigat-
ing officer of the U. S. S. Oregon
during that ships noted cruise from
San Francisco. Calf. to Key West
Fla, around Cape Horn in 1898. He
afterWard served with the same ship
in operations against the Spanish
Fleet at Santiago Bay.
Headed Asiatic Fleet.
His later shore assignments in
cluded two brief tours of duty as a
member of the General Board, a
period with the old Bureau of Equip
ment and a term with the Bureau
OF Inspection and Survey.
In 1911 Admiral Nicholson re-
signed as chief of the Bureau of
Navigation and was detailed to duty
as commander in chief of the
Asiatlc Fleet, he previously having
served temporarily as commander
of the China patrol.
He remained with the Asiatic
Fleet until 1913, when he was or
dered to the Navy Department. The
following year he went to Newport
R. l., as member of the General
Board, and on December Is, 1914
WIS transferred to the retired list
at the age OF 6z.
Admiral Nicholson was recalled to
active duty in the Office of Naval
Intelligence September 4, 1917. being
assigned as naval attache to the
American Embassy in Santiago
Chile, with additional duty as at
tache at Lima, Peru, and Quito
Ecuador. He returned to the Office
OF Naval Intelligence in Washington
in 1919, and was again put on the
retired list May "a, 1920.
On the occasion of Admiral Mich.
olson's 85th birthday anniversar,
he received a cablegram of con.
gratulations from Rear Admiral
Harry E. Yarnell, U. S. N, retired
then In command of the Asiatic
Fleet.
| Recently Admiral Yarnell SAID
of his predecessor:
Every major decision and policy
OF Admiral Nicholson while in
command of the Asiatic Fleet was
sound. They were as good 20 years
later as on the day he made them
Admiral Nicholson leaves his wife
the former Elizabeth Code of San
Francisco, Calf; a daughter, Mrs
Edward Durrell, wife CT a retired
naval captain, of Florida, and a
brother, Reynolds L. Nicholson OF
Chevy Chase, Md.
He was member of the Associa-
ton Of Oldest Inhabitants of the
District of Columbia.