KNIGHT, Austin Melvin, American rear admiral : b. Ware, Mass., 16 Dec. 1854. He was graduated at the United States Naval Academy (1873) and commissioned ensign (1874), promoted to master (1879), lieutenant, junior grade (1883), and made lieutenant in 1885, becoming lieutenant-commander in 1889 and commander in 1907. He became captain in 1907 and rear-admiral in 1911. He served on the Tuscarora on the Pacific station (1873 74) ; on the Kearsarge on the Asiatic station (1874-75). In 1876 he was appointed to the Naval Academy, later serving on the Quinne baug on the European station (1878-79) ; on the Galena on the European and Atlantic sta tions (1880-83). He was stationed at the Minneapolis ordnance proving ground (1883 85) and had charge of same from 1885-89. He served on the flagship Chicago on the North Atlantic, European and South Atlantic stations (1889-92), and was at the Naval Acad emy from 1892-95. From 1895-97 he served on
the Lancaster and Castine on the South Atlantic station, and on the Puritan on the North At lantic station from 1897-98. In the Spanish American War he assisted in the blockade pf the north coast of Cuba, and in the Porto Rican expedition. He was stationed (1898 1901) at the Naval Academy and at the War College (1901). He commanded the Yankton on the survey of Cuba's south coast (1901-03), and on the Castine on the North Atlantic squadron (1903-04), and presided over a special board on naval ordnance and on a smokeless powder board (1904-07). He commanded on the Washington from 1907 to 1909, later was commander at Narragansett Bay, R. I., station, and commandant of same and president of Naval War College from 1913-1917; and in 1917 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Asiatic fleet with rank of admiral.