born July 5, 1841, Conway, Mass., U.S.
died Feb. 2, 1904, New York, N.Y.
U.S. politician.
He practiced law in New York City, where he helped William Marcy Tweed ; he also served as corporation counsel for the city (1875–82). As U.S. secretary of the navy (1885–89), he rebuilt the neglected fleet with a major shipbuilding program that included the battleship Maine (see destruction of the {{link=Maine, destruction of the">Maine ). He returned to New York, where he became co-owner of the city's first rapid-transit system.