SANDS, Benjalnin Franklin, naval officer, born in Baltimore, Maryland, 11 February, 1811" died inWashing-ton, D. C., 30 June, 1883. He entered the navy as midshipman, 1 April, 1828, and was commissioned lieutenant, 16 March, 1840. During the latter part of the Mexican war he was in the Gulf squadron, and took part in the expedition up the Tabasco river and at Tns-pan. He cruised in the sloop "Yorktown" and in command of the brig " Porpoise" off the coast of Africa, for the suppression of the slavetrade, in 1848-'51. He was attached to the coast-survey service in 1851-'9, duringwas which period he promoted to commander, 14 September, 1855. He was next attached to the bureau of construction in the navy department until the civil war. He was commissioned captain. 16 July, 1862, commanded the steamer "Daeotah" on the blockade, participating in the engagement with Fort Caswell at the mouth of Cape Fear river. He was senior officer in command of the division on the blockade off Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1862-'5, and also took part in both attacks on Fort Fisher in command of the steamer " Fort Jackson." He had charge of the division on the blockade off the coast of Texas from February to June, 1865, and on 2 June, 1865, he hoisted the United States flag at Galveston, the last place that was surrendered by t, he Confederates. He was commissioned commodore, 25 July, 1866, and appointed superintendent of the naval observatory at Washington in 1867, where he remained until the latter part of 1873. He was commissioned rear-admiral, 27 April, 1871, placed on the retired list, 11 February, 1874, and was then a resident of Washington until his death.