CHESTER, Colby Mitchell, American naval officer: b. New London, Conn., 29 Feb. 1844. He was graduated at the United States Naval Academy in 1863; fought under Farragut in the famous battle of Mobile Bay; became captain 12 June 1896: was commandant of cadets at Annapolis 1890-94; commanded the Galena, Richmond, Newark, Minneapolis 1895 97; the Cincinnati during the war with Spain, and the Kentucky 1900-1901. From 1897-98 he was commander-in-chief of the South Atlantic squadron; from 1901-02 was at the Naval War College; in 1903 became rear-admiral; and from 1 Nov. 1902 to 28 Feb. 1906 was superin tendent of the United States Naval Observa tory. He was engaged upon special duty under the Navy Department until May 1901 when he was assigned by the Secretary of State to represent the United States at the Ninth Inter national Congress of Geographers at Geneva, Switzerland, in July of that year. Also repre
sented the National Rivers and Harbors Asso ciation of America at the Sixth International Congress of Navigation at Petrograd, Russia, and the American and Washington Aviation Societies at the Second International Congress of Aeronautics held at London, England, in June 1908. Later he was engaged upon a special mission, under the supervision of the State Department, to investigate commercial affairs in Russia and the Near East, holding, at the same time, commissions from the New York Chamber of Commerce and the New York Board of Trade and Transportation Associa tions. After retiring from active duty in the navy, 1 July 1909, he occupied himself with writing and lecturing, in Europe and the United States, upon the subjects of international law, geography, aeronautics, commerce, etc.