National Republican., 1881-09-05
A Naval Engagem

set at naught by a commander in allowing
the wife and daughter of the latter to
sail the ocean blue from New York city
to this place on the freight and junliet
ship Tallapoosa. Our navy being made
luate to the work of repclling foreign
enemies, it had occurred to the Navy De-
partment that it could at least cope with
any domestic foes who might approach it
with hostile intent. What more APP
propriate for the accomplishment of this
purpose than the following decree:
Women shall not be allowed to reside on board
vessels OF the navy in commission for sea service,
nor shall they be taken as passengers on such YES.
sells under any circumstances.
On Friday last Secretary Hunt visited
the freight and excursion steamer Talla-
poosa, and was shocked at the sight Of
ladies on the hurricane deck. What fol-
lowed has been told in all the papers.
Some said he knit his brows, raised his
voice, and stormed like the second old
man in provincial theatrical troupe act
ing the irascible old jaundiced uncle re-
turned from the East Indies to fllict
twenty years of discomfort on those who
are waiting for his fortune at his decease
Others had it that he exploded his wrath
in the presence Of the ladies' All believed
that he had fixed his firm resolve to relieve
from command the unprincipled husband
and father ofthe guilty ladies who had thus
Oraved the authority of naval regulation.
A representative of THE NATIONAL Re-
PUBLICAN was present ut the scene
and gave his impressions in Sat
nrday mornings paper. At the risk
Of being held up to public scorn by the
Post as u liar and horse thief we must
correct the statement of that journal in
reference to our report having been "in-
'pired" by anybody except the Secretary
of the Navy himself As stated above,
our renorter heard the explosion and
made his report, inspired by the vivid
impression made upon him at the time.
Commander kellogg is a gentleman, and
Is no doubt very capable and intelli-
gent officer; but we cannot permit the
Post or any other paper to credit to him,
or anybody else, as good bit of writing
as that was in our issue of Saturday.
That wo paid for, and the young gentle
man who wrote it must not be robbed of
his laurels. The Star pooh-poohed the
whole affair representing that the SsGress.
tary courteously (perhaps almosfobs most obseoui-
ously) "merely inquired 'SG"6e fthe Com
.'ia'uorJ ny H., ,sr'seen his order prohibit
ing la9les from being on United States res-
Sets.' To this the terrified Commander
meekly replied "that he had, but did not
suppose it referred to transport like the
old Tallapoosa, but to vessels of war in
commission" According to the Star this
settled it. Not another word was spoken
-, ......sa NC naturally looked into the
Sunday Herald and found it. According
to that journal the urbane Secretary ad.
ministered his stern reprimand to the
commander in the presence of gentlemen
only, and in such "an ordinary converse
tional tone" that the ladies may not have
heard it. Having been told, in answer to
question, that the ladies on board were
the wife and daughter of thecommander
the Secretary remarked to the latter, 81
understand you had quite nicelittle en-
tertainment during your trip to New
York and back" Here there is painful
omission of details. What there was OBJ
jectionable or improper in the mice lit
tie entertainment does not appear. Per
haps the ladies sang, or perchance water
melons were taken on board at Norfolk
and cut on the way up tho Potomac
Whatever it was, the punishment con
tanned under that sarcastic adjective
mice was not too severe. a commander
who could so far forget himself as to fur.
nish his wife and daughter with "a nice
little entertainment at sea well deserves
to be roundly reprimanded.
But the secretary's Official statement de.
nies that there was any loss of temper
on his part, and he declares that "Com.
mander Kellogg acted the part of q gen.
tleman in every particular" The Herald
says that the Commander called upon the
Secretary Friday evening and asked
if there was any truth in the rumor that
he was to be relieved of his command
and that the Secretary replied: al have
come to no definite conclusion as yet
You may come to see me tomorrow
morning and / will give you my answer"
1t is possible that this uncertainty on the
Secretary's part was owing to a fear that
the temper which he did not exhibit in
the daytime might get the better Of him
later along, Or it may be that he wanted
to consult the auth critics as to whether
an old freight-ship like the Tallapoosa
could be deemed one of the vessels in
commission for sea service referred to in
the anti-woman order above quoted. This
question was.further complicated by the
fact that the Tallapoosa is and has
long been in common use as junketing
or excursion steamer, on the deck of
which the sisters cousins, and aunts of
officials of the Government have been fur
nished" nice little entertainments" How
ever this may be, the morning dispelled
all clouds and mist, and, to use the Secre-
tary's words: $50 you see the order was
misconstrued all around. / trust you will
state that there was no ill-feeling exhib-
tied, either on my part or by any one else.
Commander Kellogg will be continued in
command of the Tallapoosa."
One word more. The story went that
the Secretary, being asked to take glass
of wine, said "You are presumptuous,
sir; do not drink" He declares that he
did not decline to take glass of wine
because he was temperance man, but
because he preferred water at that time.
The war is over. Secretary, commander,
and newspaper reporters are all at their
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