New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-24
TIE CORRESPONDENCE.

WAsHNGToN Feb. 23-The correspondence be-
tween the secretary Of the Navy and Lieutenant
Commander Gorringe has been made public. 1t was
begun by the Secretary. who wrote from Washing
ton February ., to Commander Gorringe, in New
YORK, as follows
The attention Of the Department has been called 10
your statement pubshcd in The Ne,c York RreHng Post
in ne yocacy of free ships. You VIII please inform the
Department ,rnel or NOT YOU nav ensagSd in any
business outside your naval profession, anu go What
and wdeihrr under any employ lntnt ny or OD-
gaol to h.r interest are In any relation thereto,
received or Arert to receive any COMPENSATION
10y reason vi any such employment obligation or reIh-
ton.
70 this Commander GOrrnge replied, under date
of New-York February T. as follows:
In r,py to your Of February o. have the honor
respectfully inform the Department that have been
aud an uo@ employed rs rOdsultls engineer nave
received and expect 10 receive coprnsau0n ny reason
such cmpO, ment. My Ie.u'f oI juno 20 I'D answer
To the DeparnentHletero OF juno - contains inc follow
ing statement: :" do not now know what busincss
wal occupy me during the extension OF irOugh mat
ask, II granted but gr"erally that OF c"nsu tug
engineer In lie event Of my forming business oohhcc-
lions would lutr rferc III a remote degree with my
duties officer sn"uld promptly ender my icslS-
nation" IN reply to tnls r'ceiyed June - an 'N
tensiOn Of my mrlOugh untii August l. l59Z. nave
OF set Orned business connection, mat Woud ihtcI-
frred IN Icnot degree with my duties as AN ohcer,
aud when do snail probably tender my reslglalOn-
IN further answer t. your letter OF feotutry d. re-
spectu. nfIr,n Depar men that Win the exception
hereinafter noted am NOT under any employment by
or optg .tIuu to interest relation
thereto" have received nor 40 expect 10 receive
Obligation or interest" Tne exception - my employ
mont as IA consulting engineer by Mr. H. Nick. IwOmOly,
for which expect to receive adequate compensation
the completion of my report ~ ever becomes COM
pleiei. 1 expect to complete TINS report wlthn ten
DAYS unlcss unforeseen circumstances interfere
In note of February 10 the Secretary informed
Commander Gorringe that the inquiry of the De-
partment arose from the suggestion that he was EN-
ployed by or was under Obligations or in relation to
interests not American, and added, that, assuming
his statement to negative any such employment
obligation, or relation, and was so intended, his
reply was satisfactory. This is no objectlon,"
concluded tho Secretary, to the public expression
by any naval officer of his unpurchased opinions on
any subject of general interest" In reply to this
note Commander Gorringe wrote from New-YOrk,
February IA:
COMMANDER GORRtNGE FEELS INSULrED.
My letter Of February was not intended TO negative
n suggestion" that am or have been employed by or
am or have under obligations In relation to IN
terests not American. l had suspicion that any
your letter OF February TO- IL has been the CUSTOM us
Navy to rely implicitly upon the Department for pro
lection against suggestions impugung their reputaton
SEQ no reason anu am confident the Department VIII
see reason, why, as naval officer, shOuid uePaa
from this custom and surrender TINS rght ol h.fni
officers, far 10 say that any sukSos'oh
which conveys, Intended 10 convey even W n-
nueudo an inllmatiOn that have eVer axpresseo pur