PROMINENT PERSONS
361
naval academy at that time. He was soon
ordered to the flagship Eric, bound for the
West Indies ; and, although the youngest
midshipman aboard, he was for a short time
during the cruise absolute commander of
the flagship. All the officers being ill with
yellow fever, young Page, with the assist-
ance of another midshipman, brought the
ship safely home to Norfolk, and was highly
commended for his skill. He was for several
years connected with the coast survey ; be-
came a lieutenant in 1839. He was assigned
to duty in the China seas, then infested with
pirates, and, in command of the Dolphin.
rendered gallant service by the capture of
one of their largest junks. In 185 1 Captain
Page was given command of the JVatcr
Witch, and sent on an exploring expedition
to the La Plata country, with full diplomatic
powers to form commercial treaties with the
South American states in that region. The
first part of the expedition consumed three
years. His report gave great satisfaction to
the government, and was translated into
many languages. After a mission to Para-
guay, he returned to Washington just be-
fore the civil war. Upon the sece-^sion of
Virginia he resigned his commission in the
United States navy, and in 1862 was sent to
England by the Confederate government, to
take command of an ironclad, then being
constructed on the Mersey, to be used in
keeping open the Confederate ports. The
ship, however, was seized by the British
government, and Captain Page assumed
command of the Stoiictcall, an ironclad built
in France. When he reached Havana, on
his way home, he received tidings of Lee's
surrender, and consigned his ship to the
Spanish authorities. Captain Page then
made his home in Buenos Ayres, where he
enjoyed a high reputation and was associ-
ated for some years with ex-President
Uzquiza in extensive cattle and sheep farm-
ing. He was sent by the Argentine govern-
ment to England to superintend the con-
struction of two ironclads and two gun-
boats, which formed the nucleus of the Ar-
gentine navy. His declining years were
passed in Italy, where he took up his resi-
dence about 1880. Captain Page was mar-
ried in Washington, November 8, 1839, to
Benjamina, daughter of Benjamin Price, of
Welsh descent, and had eight children. He
died in Rome, October 26, 1899.
Selden, William, born at Norfolk, Vir- ginia, August 15, 1808, son of Dr. William Boswell and Charlotte (Colgate) Selden, and a descendant of Samuel Selden, a law- yer, who came to America in 1699, and set- tled in Virginia on land granted to his wife, Rebecca Yeo. Their son, John, also a lawyer, was deputy king's attorney and sheriff in Lancaster county, Virginia ; and his son, William, was Dr. Selden's grand- father. William Selden was educated in the schools of his native city and at the University of Viriginia, and made his pro- fessional studies at the University of Penn- sylvania, where he was graduated in 1830. He continued advanced work in medicine in London and Paris for several years, and after his return to America began practice in his native city. He devoted particular attention to internal diseases and enjoyed an exceptional reputation as diagnostician throughout the South. His wide experience in matters of public health, particularly in regard to the yellow fever, led to his ap- pointment by congress in 1878 on the com- mission of experts to investigate the nature
