-^ Cbe 'cT-a-- otrc Dame Scholastic D! SCcOVA51-5£mPG!2-\/lCTVl2\/S- • V/IVS QVASl-CRA5-lMORlT\/ievS- VOL. L. NOTRE DAME, INDIANA, MARCH 17, 1917. No. 23. ^bmiral l^tUiam ^^epftcrb l^cn^ou Itactarc iflebalist, 1917 62 TiiE NOTRE DAME SCHOLASTIC Wight Cbunt)^ on the James River in. Virginia, Admiral William S. Benson. in iSiS. Admiral • Benson graduated at the United Nobilit}', save that of merit, is not acknowl­ States Naval Academy in 1877, has served edged by the Catholic Church. Lineage higher twenty-two 5^ears at sea and has occupied' than the blood of kings she holds in her veins: virtually ever}- position on land and sea that his earthly aristocracy is aristocrac}^ to her only rank, would justify. In the .}-ear 1877 he was . when it means nobility of, mind, aristocracy of ordered to the "Hartford," Flagship of the character expressed in action.- The University South Atlantic Station, and remained attached of Notre Dame, as a leading exponent of those -to her on that station untiLJanuar}' ist, 1879, high ideals in Christian character which liai'e when he was ordered to the "Essex," on the ever inspired the onl}!- nobility to- which it same station. He was detached from the affords, special marks of consideration, selects "Essex" in May, 1879, and in October of the every 3J^ear from among the millions of Catholic same, }'-ear went to the "Constitution" at la)'" workers, some one whose extraordinar}^ Norfolk. After serving for two years on that character and achievement have made him famous old warship on her last cruise, he was worthy of the Laetare Medal. This 3'ear the ordered, in July iSSi, to duty at the Brooklyn Universitj'^'s emblem of distinction is conferred Nav}' Yard. The following }-ear he was ordered upon ^William Shepherd Benson, ranking- to the "Alliance" on the home station, and the admiral of the United States Isavy^ whose year after that he • was transferred • to the, sterling character and long years of service to "Yantic," on which he cruised to Littleton the nation have not allowed his name to pass Island, in, the • Arctic regions-, in the summer of unnoticed. Admiral Benson's life and labors 1S83 as convoy to the Greely relief steamer make him eminently worthy of this distinction, "Proteus." Later he was on duty under the and it is_ particularl}'^ fitting that he receive it Naval Advisor}'- Board at South Boston until this year when, entering upon ncAv duties, his March, 1885, when he^yas ordered "to the Branch services' should be promptl}^ recognized by Hydrographic Office at"^ Baltimore. those of his own faith. It is scarcely tjvo After nearly a year's" duty at .the Branch months since he became ranking-admiral of Hydrographic Office at, Baltimore, he was the Na\'3'^; it is only six months since he was ordered to the Fish Commission Steamer rnade chief,.of naval operations; but it is fort)!- "Albatross," where he spent practically two years since,-as a young "midd)^" he was years, being engaged most of the time in deep- graduated from the Naval Academy at Annap­ sea soundings and investigation of marine life olis, and entered upon active service^ in the' off the eastern coast of the United States and United States Na\'3^. During all these j'^ears in the Bahama Group. In January, 1888, he was the country'- has not heard profusel}'^ of the ordered to the "Dolphin" and^made a cruise future Admiral, but na\^'' officials have con- around the woirld on her, returning to New stantl}"- kept his. work in mind. Admiral Benson York, October J,-'1889. In 1890 he was ordered has worked his long wa}'' up to the top in the to the United States Naval Academ}'- as instruc­ -quietest way, but now the country and those tor in seamanship, naval architecture and naval of his own faith Avill know and appreciate his tactics. He remained at the Naval Academy worth. Thus it is most.fitting this 3''ear that for three years and - after a couple of months - the University, at one in judgment with the 'devoted to special instruction in'torpedoes and hierarchy, consider Admiral* Benson worth}'- ordnance he was detailed to du-ty in the Coast' of a: place among the .Laetare Medalists. and Geodetic/Survey. In August, 1896, he J WiUiam Shepherdr ;Benson, was born in returned to duty -at'the'.Naval Acadeniy as, Georgia, September 25th, ,1855. His father was- instructor in the' same department as during- Richard A. Benson and his-mother Catherine liis previous^ dut}'--there. Ip' 1898 he was E.;. Benson. The .former, was-- a graduate of ordered to; the - U. s!; S. ' 'Chicago,'' and after . Randolph Macon College and the latter the the close oL the-Sj)anish War he-made, a cruise . firstwoman to receive- a diplbma^from a college 'oh this, yesseh through- the Mediterranean and , for woihen, the one_in Macon, Georgia.. Admiral Red. Seas:and around "Africa, returning to the .} Benson's.paternal grandfather went to Georgia, United;States'•• via;,Rio Jarifeiro and the West ~- .with.his slaves aiid belongings;frorh Isle.of Indies; -Th 'October, 1899, he .,was-ordered to '-- " ^ ^ y^:S^iyiii:;-{i;. THE NOTRE DAME SCHOLASTIC 3^3 duty as flag-lieutenant on the staff of the "modern battleships, the command of a division ^^ Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Squadron, of the Atlantic Fleet, and finally the command - where he served until June, 1901. After a few "of one of the greatest and most importa'nt navy- months spent at the Branch Hydrographic yards at a time when it was rapidly developing Office in New York, he returned to the Naval and. fitting.out to do shipbuilding on a large Academy for dut}^- as Senior Assistant to the scale, and where he proved himself to be an' Commandant of Midshipmen; continued on administrator of the highest type." this duty until 1903, ,when he was detailed as Admiral Benson held the position of Chief-of , Executive Officer of the U. S. S. "Iowa," and Naval Operations with the- rank of Rear Ad- • remained there until August, 1905, having been miral jmtil August 29th, 1916, at which time promoted to the grade of Commander on July he was promoted to Admiral--by the Act of ist of that year; was detached and ordered as Congress of that date, and he is now the ranking Lighthouse Inspector of the Fifth District; naval officer of the Serv'ice. • detacEed from this dut}^ in 1907 -and went But Admiral Benson is not only a trusted again to the Naval Academy, this time as chiet~ of the Navy, he is a. fervent practical Commandant of Midshipmen. In 190S he was Catholic as well. ~When in charge of the Naval ordered to command tlie U. S. S. " Olympia," and Academy, he was a daily communicant, and the practice squadron, consisting of five' vessels. though now imperfect health and distance In September of the same year he was de- from the church prevent his daih'' reception of ta'ched from this duty and ordered to command the Holy Eucharist, he still goes to the altar the U. S. S. "Albany" on the Pacific Station. once a week. The chief pleasure he derives from In July, 1909, was promoted to the grade of having reached his present position, he says, is - Captain and ordered as Chief of Staff of the the thought that it reflects credit on the Faith- Pacific Fleet. Xhe latter part of February, 1910, All Washington speaks of him in terms of after having cruised throughout the Pacific, utmost eulogy. he was detached and ordered to command the i\.dmiral Benson's character and services battleship "Missouri." In October, 1910," he make him especiall}^ worthy of a place among. was ordered to dut)'- in connection with the theLaetare Medalists, the list of which follows: U.S.S. "Utah" and upon her completion placed 1553 John. Gilmary Shea, the saintly and scholarly her in commission and commanded her until chronicler of the Church in America; June 25, 1913. During the latter part of the time 1554 Patrick J. Keeley, ecclesiastical architect; . that he commanded the "Utah," he was for 1555 Eliza Allen Starr who did so much to educate" several months in command of the First Divi- the people of her day to the beauties of Christian art; .. ^J •sion of the Atlantic Fleet. 1886 General John Newton, the great army engineer, In August, 1913, he was ordered to duty who, during the Civil War, constructed the./ as Commandant of the Philadelphia Na\'3' defenses about the city of Washington; -- 1887 Edward Pruess, a great journalist and a man . Yard, and on Ma)' 11, 1915, he was detailed to of unquestioned leadership; duty as Chief of Naval Operations, NaA'^'- 1888 Patrick V. Hickej-, founder of the Catholic Department, the position which he now holds. Review; ' • While in command of the "Utah" he created 1S89 Mrs. Anna Hanson Dorsey, novelist; a spirit of marked co-operation and contentment 1890 William J. Onahan, organizer of the first Ariierican Catholic Congress; in his ship to such an extent that it was famous 1891 Daniel Dougherty, the greatest orator of his throughout' the battle fleet as "the 'Utah^' time; spirit." While he was Commandant of the 1892 Henry F. Brownson, author and philosopher; Philadelphia Yard he succeeded in creating the 1893 Patrick Donahue, founder of the Boston Pilot; . same spirit of esprit de corps and contentment 1S94 Augustin Daly, theatrical manager and pro-; arnong the employees of the Yard. moter of high ideals in the drama: 1895 Airs.