The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-08-25
THE TWO ADMIRALS AT BAR HARBuR
The Question as to How Much Che
rardi and Walker Enjoy One Another.
No Signs of War Between Them ar
Bar hatbor,
But There Is Good Story of Nigh po-
ings at Port-au-Pnnce.

| on lne part Vi Iuelr 0mcerS. But 1t has beer
whispered for long time that the best O
feeling does not exist between between Real
Admiral Gherardi and Acting Rear Admira
Walker Rear Admiral Bancroft Gherard
is Massachusetts man, who entered th
navy as midshipman in 1916. He was pro
NOTED to be commodore in 1884, and rear ad
miral in 1887. He has seen total sea ser
vice OF nearly quarter of century, an,
only about 10 years of shore duty in his lonJ
career of over 40 years in his country's ser
vice. he is fine gentleman as well as
most meritoriOus officer. Admiral John G
Walker is not full fledged admiral. Hi,
| rank Is that Of commodore, and has beer
raised temporarily to his rank of admira
while he is in command Of the Squadron oi
| Evolution. While Admiral Gherardi stands
second on the list of six rear admirals Com
| m0d0re Walker is seventh on the list of Il
| c0mmodOres. his selection from so many
| officers who were his seniors to command the
| fine Squadron of Evolution naturally made
| considerable talk. 1t has been said that he
has political ''pull, that he is a favorite
| socially in Washington official circles, and
that he achieves by favoritism glittering
command while gallant old sea dogs like
Gherardi have to ply about with the old
| wooden tubs. 1t is also noticed that of
| Walkers 35 years Of service about 20 have
| been on shore, on duty presumably more or
| less pleasant Perhaps all these things said
about Commodore Walker are vain ISLANDERS
| of his enemies. No one seems to know au-
| thoritatively; but there seems to be general
understanding that Gherardi and Walker,
while they are scrupulously courteous, do
not like each other very well, and that each
would be just as well satisfied to have the
other at some other place with his fleet
NEW YORK. August 24.-The Times yes
terday morning printed an interesting story
relative to the conference between Rear Ad-
miral Gherardi, commanding the North At
lantc fleet, and Acting Rear Admiral John
q. Walker, commanding the Squadron If
Evolution at Port au Prince.
The Squadron of Evolution, it will be re-
membered, was suddenly ordered, during its
recent maneuyres in the Gulf to proceed to
Port au Prince. For political reasons it was
considered at the time advisable to concen-
trate a large naval f0rc off the Haytien
capital. On reaching Port au Prince, Rear
Admiral Gherardi, with the flagship Phila-
delphia and some Of her consOrts of the
North Atlantic Squadron, was found an
chored before the city, The latter officer, it
miral in the navy. while the commander-in-
chief of the Squadron of Evolution is only a
commodore. with the rank OF acting rear ad-
miral. Furthermore, Rear Admiral Gherar-
di Is an old officer. He has spent his whole
lie In the government service, and his date
of retirement is not far ahead Acting Rear
Admiral Walker, on the other hand, is COM
paratively young in years. His promotion
has been rapid. Running his fine fleet of
white cruisers into Port au Prince, Admiral
Walker, without as much as noticing the
presence of the North Atlantic fleet, flew
from the masthead of his flagship the order
TO anchor. In magnificent style the big war
ships founded to the tide, let go their haw-
sers, and few seconds later were tugging
at their anchors not more than 800 yards dis
tant from the flagship of Admiral Gherardi.
From all outward appearances the two
squauronS were more than strangers. iudg-
ing from the fact that the accustomed Inter
change OF visits was here wholly lacking.
An Ominous silence pervaded the two fleets.
Occasionally the shrill pipe Of boatswain's
whistle rang out clear among the ships, but
1t was only for moment, when all was soon
quiet again. The whole of one day this con-
tinued, and all of one night, and theu in the
morning following, when color evolutions
are mandatory throughout the navy, the sig
nal was seen flying few minutes before 8
from the Philadelphia to loose sail to a
bowline." AT on the dot the execution sig
nal was run to the peak, and in an instant
the clean, white canvas could be seen fiutter-
ing from the yards of each ship in the North
Atlantic fleet. But in the Squadron of Eve
luton there was not sign of life. Every
ship, with the exception of one, was dead,
and that one was the cruiser Atlanta. There,
hanging from her yards, huttered unmistak-
ably the flaxen canvas. Here, at least, was
a ship loyal to the orders of the senior admi-
raj.
Hello" exclaimed group of officers
gathered on the poop of the Philadelphia,
what does that mean?" The cause of their
exclamation was a sudden display of signals
from the masthead of the Chicago. There
1t is" said one officer, Commanding officer
of Atlanta repair on board the Chicago"
There was no mistaking the signal, and
there was no mistaking the long, swift gig
strokes of the smart boat that suddenly shot
into view from under the Atlanta's stern.
gropn saa one so 0eer S II RnO ne
culars pressed close to his eyes. In the
stern of the Atlanta's gig could be seen,
erect and dignifed, an officer in smart uni
form. The swift strokes of his gigs crew
were sending the boat flying over the water.
and minute later it had reached the gang
way of Admiral Walkers vessel. What
transpired from the time Captain Phillips
disappeared over the Chicago's side no one
In the group aboard the Philadelphia could
say OF his own knowledge, but when a few
rapidly into his boat, pulled alongside of his
ship, and caused an order to be issued which
In trice sent the seamen of the Atlanta
scampering aloft and to furling the 1utter-
ing sails, there could be but one conjecture.
The fact has since been established that, in
obedience to his orders to repair aboard the
Chicago, Captain Phillips was told that no
attention was to be paid to the orders which
Rear Admiral Gherardi might fly; that the
only orders he should be expected to obey
we're those which should emanate from the
commander-ln-chiefo of the Squadron of
Evolution. Acting Rear Admiral John G.
Walker.
Up to this period there had been absolute
ly nc, communication between the two Ad-
mirals. and this despite the fact that they
were then engaged in fuithering, by the
presence of their fleets, the national in
terests OF the United States. But the affair
OF the Atlanta had not escaped the notice of
Rear Admiral Gherardi. Neither had the
noticed by the vessels of the White
Squadron. Nor had the fact escaped him of
Admiral Walkers arriving and anchOring
without asking permission, or later failing to
report aboard the senior officers ship. Not
ole of these facts had escaped him, and it
was evident to the officers on the Philadcl-
phia, as they observed the gray haired Admi-
raj, pacing back and forth on the quarter
deck OF his vessel, his hands crossed behind
his back and his head slightly bent in
Calling his Flag Lieutenant. he spoke a
few words TO him, and then with
stately mien walked into his cabin
The next moment there flew from the Phila-
delphia an order which no man in the navy
dare disobey. 1t was the order of the second
ranking Admiral in the navy commanding in
mandatory language Acting Rear Admiral
John g. Walker to repair aboard the Phila-
delphia in person, and at once.
oalutatlons were exchanged by cool and
olgnlned bows on the part of the two Admi-
visit. '''o
Il have come aboard, Admiral. In response
10 your signal" said the junior officer of the
TWO. For moment there was a painful
pause, the two looking straight into each
others eyes-one half Smiling. the other
grave and serious. 'A0 0'N0i
admiral Walker" spoke up the old Al
miral, his voice shaking slightly with emo-
tloD, yet firm in its expressions. "AdmiTSl
Walker, wish to know If you are aware thai
there is regulation requiring the Junior II sS
officer OF a fleet when arriving in port To re-,
port aboard the flagship of such senior officer
as may be present?" O-'0'
As Admiral Gherardi finished he fxed n
clear pair of steel gray eyes on the vonng
Admiral in front of him and pointed WITH
his index finger to prominent paragraph in
the regulations.
Really" said Admiral Walker. 81 must
have overlooked that"
Have you, Admiral Walker" continued
Admiral Gherardi, your cruising orders
with you? You of course are aware that the
regulations require You to show your orders
to any senior officer you may fall in with ?''
'No," said Admiral Walker, II have not
my orders with me-"
"Then," said Admiral Gherardi, "you will
go aboard your ship and return, sir, with
vour orders ~