Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-10
NOT A GENTLEMAN.
CAPTAIN Bree~e Gives Hts Admiral
fhe RetOrt COurte0nS.

Y
the RetOrt Courteous.
Uncle Sans navy has been productive
of another interesting sensation which
came to light Yesterday, and which Will
eliminate IN an official investigation to
take place immediately upon the arrival
at the port Of New York Of one OF the
interested parties. who is no less per
sonaee than Admiral Braine, on boaro
of the United States steamer Neipslc.
The charges are brought by Captain
Breese of the cunboat Lancaster, who
accuses Admiral Bralnc OF conduct I'm.
becoming an officer and with "ruling oil
aboard with al iron hand and an ungoy-
ENABLE temper"
When Admiral Braine assumed COM
mand OF the South Atlantic squadron
about year ago he made the Lancaster
his flagship, as his predecessors had
done. The charge is that he at once De-
gan to assert his power in an uncallcd-
Tor and unwarranted manner. Captain
Rreese. an efficient officer, who had been
attached to the Lancaster since she left
the hayward, and who had always been
on the most friendly terms with the suc-
cessive admirals IN command, found no
favor in the eyes OF Admiral Braine, who
held aloof from his society. This cool
ness on the part of the Admiral In time
assumed such fri8id proportions that the
Captain demonstrated, and the Admiral
is recorded as having shocked the crew
and the officers by requesting him TO
take up his future abode IN the place
where frost is unknown.
! In the natural course OF events strong
hostile feeling sprung up between Cap
I tain and Admiral. which at times was
manifested openly to the crew. 1t be-
came, indeed, matter OF daily occur
renee for the two gentlemen to show
1 their bad feeling more or less openly.
] One evening when the Lancaster was
I living off Rio and all hands except the
watch" had been piped below, an
orderly was hastily summoned to the
aucust presence OF the Admiral, who
! handed him note with a stern COM
mand that ''this should be at once handed
to Breese.'
The orderly was surprised, hut he
slurried or in the direction Of the Cap
/ tein's quarters, where he foInd that
I officer deep in thought and slowly
pnfiing blue wreaths of smoke INTO the
higher atmosphere OF the 6Xl2 state
room The Captain, recognizing at once
/ the handwriting Of his adversary, re-
/ fused 10 accept the note, but on second
thought took it from the orderly's hand,
and tearing the seal open, read the fol-
lowing:
admiral Braine sends his compli-
nents to Captain Brecse and wishes to
call his attention to the fact that he Is
/ d. fool.
70 say that the Captain was angered
does not half describe the scene. Leap
ing up from his chair and dashing his
pipe to the floor he ragged about bis
cabin, the terrified orderly mean while
standing aghaSt in the doorway, unable
! TO account for his superior's strange be-
/ havior. Becoming calm, he sat down
and wrote Captain Breese sends his
compliments to Admiral Braine. and says
that the Admiral is no gentleman, never
was a gentleman, and never could he one
i; he tried.
The result aboard ship OF this inter
esting conduct on tue part OF these gen.
tlemen WAS that Captain Breese was
totally ignored by the Admiral. The
Captain found life so uncomfortable, in
consequence. on the Lancaster that he
was compelled TO "play off sick" and
the accommodating-sbip surgeon assisted
him in his ruse by making ont a certlfi.
cate, ordering him home, "invahded.
The Captain reached these waters few
days ago in perfect health.
The conduct Of Admiral Braiue reach
ed the ears OF the Navy Department,
and he was ordered to transfer his flag
from the Lancaster, and to allow her 10
proceed to the European squadron egain.
lie is now aboard the tbird-rate ship
Neipsic, which is expected IN these
waters shortly, when an investigation
will probably be held.