Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-09
OF cOrnsF HE Will.
a SMALL NAVAL WAR.
Admiral Giilis and Captain Reed Clash on
the Kichmond-A Cook the Cause.


There are rather unpleasant times on
| board the United States flagship Rich
mond. which arrived in Hampton Roads
Monday last. SAYS the Norfolk correspond
ent of the New York H0rh. Roar-Admiral
| j. If. ellis. whose lag flies from the lofty
miZZeu royal truck, has come home fun OF
| fight, while the commander of the ship,
| Captain Allen V. Reed Is suspended from
duty and actually q prisoner on board his
own ship. A court Of inquiry and sub
seuuent cOurt-martial are IN sight now,
aud there is 10 doubt that there will be
lots of fun when all the facts come out.
That everything on board the Richmond
was not exactly ship-shape was known
here some DAYS ago. and rumOr had n That
all the trouble between the Admiral and
the Captain had originated from the dis
charge of a cook who undertook 90 suit the
Admira's taste but could not prepare the
dishes 10 the liking of Captain Reed.
The real cause OF the trouble has far
more importaut origin, but the officers and
even the sailors Of the war-shlp are retlcent
IN disclosing What they believe ought 10 be
treated as q State secret. The World Is en-
ablcd, however, 20 tell the exact cause Of
the troubles on Uncle Sans old frigate.
BEGUN AT THE WRONG End.
CAPTAIN Reed is a strict disciplnarian
and believes in carrying out the lnstruc-
tons of the Navy Department TO the letter
His idea of navy regulation is that discl-
pline on board "a ship which sails under so
noble a banner as the stars and stripes
should commence aft where the officers
live. Jack Tar again is 20 learn from his
superiOrs all about discipline. Captain
Reed, however, seems 20 nave begun at the
wrong end of the ship.
At any rate. that is the way Admiral Gil
lis is said 90 have looked upon the matter
rs the Worlds informant stated to-day II
appears that part of the deck officers OF
the good old Richmond were rather poor
disciplinarians, and that the senior deck
officer OF the ship was found 20 be very
much under the influence of liquor one
time while on board the vessel. ! he mat
ter was reported to Captain Reed and he
very properly suspended the officer for ten
DAYS and placed him under arrest. On an
other occasion Captain Reed was compelled
TO inhict tho same punishment on another
watch officer who had left the deck with
out having first been regularly relieved.
Ofboth occasions. It appears, the offenders
were restored TO duty within two days by
Admiral ellis, while Captain Reed was
severely reprimanded by his superior OIL
Ger.
AHoUsE DIVIDED, &C.
These acts, done so openly, when the Of
fences were known TO every man on board,
had "A damaging effect on the discipline OF
the ships company. The AdmlraPs action,
il appears established precedent that
was Immediately taken advantage Of 10y
the habitual offenders who live IN the for
ward part of the snip, but again with
nearly the same results as III the case Of
the officers.
Admiral ellis and Captain Reed would
have it hot and heavy sometimes III the
cabin. sometimes within earshOt of the
signal-boys and the quartermaster.
Captain Reed did not care 10 make trou-
bic for others. He had his own hands full
and stood the friction as long as he pos
sibly could One day it had gone too tar
and he sat down and penned a few lines 10
Secretary Benjamin f. Tracy. Captain
Reed appealed 10 the Navy Department
for protection. making what he cOnsld-
cred plain statement of facts concerning
the treatment he had received at the hands
of the Admiral. The latter took offence at
what Captain Reed claimed to have been
straightforward and unvarnished state
ment of facts contained IN his letter to the
Secretary of the Navy. and on March 2Sth
last Admiral ellis suspended Captain
Reed from duty on the charge of making
misstatement and using disrespectful Ian
guage concerning the COmmander-in-Chlet
in the letter ~ the Navy Department
The proceedings were cabled by Admiral
ellis TO the Navy Department and the
next mail that left the United States for
Monteyideo took the orders for the Rich
mond's return home, where, at the request
OF Captain Reed, the case might be inves-
tigated.
The Richmond sailed from Montevideo
Nav 18th and on her way TO this port
stopped at Bahia and Barbados. She
made the entire run in Just thirty three
days and twelve hours and burned about
$500 worth of coal while e., route.