Alfred Walton Hinds

Who was Alfred Walton Hinds?

Alfred Walton Hinds was a United States Navy Captain who served as the 17th Naval Governor of Guam. His early naval service included serving as Assistant Engineer aboard the USS Texas, the United States Navy's first battleship, where he was reprimanded for an accident aboard in 1896. In 1911, Hinds joined the staff of the United States Naval Academy, heading the Department of Marine Engineering and Naval Construction, writing a textbook on the subject while there.

From September 23, 1913 to March 28, 1914, Hinds served as acting Governor of Guam. Having already helped formed the policies of the previous governor, Hinds continued much of the practices of the earlier administration. He successfully drew new import and export businesses to the island, though he failed in his attempts to further development of Guam as a key naval outpost. Following his governorship, Hinds commanded various ships and eventually became marine superintendent of the Panama Canal in 1924, serving in that office until early 1925.