SEVEN ADMIRALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 188, 11 August 1925, Page 13

SEVEN ADMIRALS.

HOW THE FLEET IS COMMANDED.

Seven admirals are in the American warships now in New Zealand waters. The senior of these is Admiral Coontz, the G'ommander-in-Chief of the United States Fleet. The senior substantive rank is that of Rear-Admiral. Admiral Coontz is eleventh in the list. While in his present appointment he holds the rank of admiral. The U.S. fleet, which he commands, embraces all vesesels of war, exclusive of the Asiatic fleet, the Naval Forces in European waters, and the Special Service Squadron in Central American waters. The United States Fleet is composed of four forces. The Scouting fleet, control force, battle fleet, and fleet base force. The battle fleet is ordinarily referred to as the Pacific Fleet, and represents the most powerful uuit in the United States navy. This force comprises 12 battleships, two destroyer squadrons, four air-plane squadrons, and six submarine divisions, the whole being commanded by Rear-Admiral S. S. Robison, who holds the rank of Admiral while in command of this fleet. The battleships are divided into three divisions, two of which are in Auckland, and the third in Wellington, each in command of an admiral. Vice-Admiral H. A. Wiley is on the flagship West Virginia, Rear-Admiral W. D. MacDougall, on the flagship New Mexico, and RearAdmiral H. J. Ziegemeier, on the Seattle, which is in Wellington. The fleet base force is commanded by Rear-Admiral G. R. Marvell, who is thirty-fourth on the list. He flies his flag in the depot ship Melville. The two destroyer squadrons (Nos. 11 and 12), are commaanded by RearAdmiral Frank Schofield. He flies his flag in the cruiser Omaha. The cruiser division consists of the Trenton, Marblehead. Richmond, and Memphis. This division (No. 2) is commanded by Rear-Admiral T. P. MagI ruder, whose flag is flown in the Trenton.