Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-05-26
FFICIAL
To RIcHARn Y. MoRRIs, Esq. Ne1,- York.
Mtgy Department, Ai.2 Is. 1904.


Conduct as commanding officer oft the tate
squadron of armed vessels of the United
States, in the Mediterranean. This opini
on having satisfied the President shat il is
not'the public interest that YOU should be
longer continued in command in the navy
of the United States, have 1t in charge
from him to inform you, that he has re.
voked your commission.
i am, sir, your obedicnt servant,
ROBERT SMITH.
efollouirg abstract from IRE proceedings OF ,5e
court in tbe case o. Commodore Moriy sets fo,r6
TOE opinion referred to m toe ab0Ce ietler.
FRIDAY, 18th April, 1904.
The same members of the court, as be-
fore; and the Judge Advocate.
The court was cleared, and proceeded,
to form and pronounce their opinion, as
follows, viz:
This cour, having carefully examined,
and deliberately weighed the evidence pro
duced, and all that was alIedged by captain
Richard V. Morris in explanation or IN
vindIcation ofhb conduct, DO REPORT.
as their OPINION that the said Capt.
Morris did not conduct himself.inlnis com
mand OF the Mediterranean squadron, with
the diligence or activity necessary TO exc
ecute the important duties of his station;
but that he is censurable for his inactive
and dilatory conductofthe squadron under
his command, IN these Instances, viz.
L. In remaining with, and OBTAINING his
squadron at Malta, without necessity, or
any adequate object, answersOle to the
length OF his stay AID detention aforesaid;
thai is to say, from the fifth To the tnir,i-
eth day of January, 1905; also from The C.
leventh to the nineteenth day OF February,
1908; and also from the frsuio the TWEEN
ty first day of May, 1903.
2. III carrying his whole squadron, on
the 10th day of February, 1903, from Nal.
ia to Tunis Bay, and thence down to Gil
braltar, and not returning with or SEEDING
back any part of his squadron 1.-THE month
MAY following having in the mean time,
no part OF his squadron on the station, aoft,
TO cruise off the coast of fripo,i, or other-
wise protect our commerce in that quarter,
as occasion might serve.
8. In remaining with, and OBTAINING his
squadron at Gibraltar, without necessity or
any adequate object, till too late period
In the spring of the year 1893 that is 10
say, from the twenty third day of March,
to the eleventh day of April, 1908.
D. In not proceeding with, or sendinga-
ny part of his squadron CATER the one IN
successful attemptin the month ofJanuary
1909 to the coast of Tripoli, till he sent
capt. Rodgers, from Malta, with the fri
gate John Adams alone, on the 5th Nav
1908: who arrived with bis figate before
Trpoli OH the 9Th May following.
In IL \
May 1908, to The coast of 1'rpoii.
6. In quitting the Blockade of Tripoli,
on the 10th June, 1908, in the frigate New
York, accompanied by the schooner En-
terprize,-without necessity or any ade-
quate object,-and never afterwards ap-
pearing on the coast of TripoIi.
z. In raising the Blockade Of Tripoli,
on the 26th day Of June, 1903, and carry
ing the whole squadron from thence to
Malta, Messina, Naples, Lcghorn, sc. with
out necessity or any adequate obiect,-and
never afterwards sending any part of the
squadron to the coast Of Trpoli
And this court 10 further report, that as
TO the period that the Mediterranean suua-
tron was under the command ofcupt. Nur.
ris from the 25th May, 800, when he first
arrived in the Mediterranean to the 5.h
January, 1903, when he was loincdat Nal
ia by capt. James Barron, with the flga,c
Rew-York, and by capt. John Rodgers,
with the frigate John Adams, there arc no
facts disclosed by the evidence, sufficient
ly clear and explicit, whereon to ground
any cersure of the conduct OF capt. Nor.
rjs,in his command aforesaid, or whereon
to form any specific opinion sufficiently sa-
tisiaclory to the judgment and conscience
OF this court Wherefore they have lin
tied the expression oftheir opinion to such
periods OF his command and TO such parts
OF his conduct as they could, from the evi-
dence,isirly & clearly pass an opinion upon.
Given under our hands this thirteenth
day Of April, 1904.
SAMUEL BARRON, President.
HUGH G.. CAMPBELL.
TNITNr 4