The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-27
SALUTED EVERYBODY.
Rear Admiral Stanton's Peculiar
Ideas Of Neutrality.
HE EVEN PAID THE BRAZILIAN
INSURGENT A VISIT.

A0AAOtO UCVernInenC was Gu1ck to Make
aFormal Complaint and This Govern
ment Was Obliged to Take Action
While Believing the Report of Its OFF,
GERS Doings a Blunder-Stanton VIII
Probably Be Tried by Court Martial.
Washington, October 26.-It rarely
happens that the United States is placed
IN the embarrassing position of apologize
ing to foreign power for the misdoinga
OF one of it's naval officers. Yet this is
what has happened and the case is all
the more remarkable because the
blunder is without precedent and the
officer who did it is one of high rank,
experience and caution.
The recognition of the insurgent feet
by formal salute ordered by Commo.
dore Oscar +. Stanton, acting rear
admiral, commanding the United States
naval forces in Brazilian waters. is what
has caused the great dismay in official
circles and has placed the Administra-
tlon N an embarrassing situation, where
diplomacy and vast amount of CORES
pondence Will be necessary to explain
matters IN satisfactory manner
When Mr.. Mendonca, the Brazilian
minister, called upon Secretary Gresham
and formally entered a protest in the
name OF and under instructions from his
government, against the action of Acting
Rear Admiral Stanton in firing a salute
IN honor OF Admiral Mello and the in
surgents' heet the day of his arrival
with the Newark in Rio harbor, the
Secretary OF State and Secretary Of the
Navy, to whom the matter was immedi-
ately reported, were almost confident
that the minister was mistaken in his
reports.
The minister's protest was submitted
to the President, who, like his two
Cabinet officers, was 10th to believe
Rear Admiral Stanton had committed
such a serious breach of international
courtesy toward a friendly power. The
protest, however, came in such a formal
way that it could not be ignored, and the
least that could be done was to ask the
Rear Admiral for an explanation.
This was done in the eighty word cable
message sent to Admiral Stanton. When
the officials read the despatch from Ber-
lin that Rear Admiral Stanton had ex-
changed visisJ and salutes with Admiral
Mello they were less Credulous than be-
fore, believing the minister's protest
was based on newspaper yarn circu-
lated G by the adherents of the insurgents
Inelr confidence, however, was
scattered to the winds by the Rear
AdmiraPs reply. They could not have
been more surprised had they been told
that the Newark had taken part in the
bombardment. The reply not only con-
firmed Minister Mendonca's information,
but placed the Admiral in a still further
unenviable plight. 1t showed that he
had not only saluted the insurgents,
but had exchanged visits with Admiral
Mello. He also stated that he had
salutedsathe Brazilian government In
fact, according to one of the officials
who read the despatch, he saluted pro,
miscuously, evidently under the BELIZE
that by So doing no one would bs
offended and that he would be iiteralIs
observing his orders to maintain stric
neutrality
TO all officials here Rear Admiral
Stanton's conduct is inexplicable His
action, they all say, even his Warmest
friends in the service, shows lamenta-
Bile lack of knowledge of international
law and customs and a decided want Of
discretion.
Secretary Herbert was not inclined to
discuss the unfortunate incident, but
plainly showed that he deeply deplored
the matter and felt very indignant at
Rear Admiral Stanton. He would not
say more for publication than that tie
Rear Admiral had been relieved because
his conduct was considered serious dis
courtesy to friendly power.
He declined to say what would be done
with the Rear Admiral upon his return
to the United States, but left it to be
understood that his detachment did not
entirely end the matter. There is little
doubt that a court martial will be
ordered to try the Rear Admiral
Naval officials agree that under no con-
ditions could Rear Admiral Stanton
have been led to believe that he was
saluting the governments ships instead
of the rebels, and this is confirmed by
his message in which he states he
saluted both flags.
Had he not made this acknowledge
ment there would be grounds to believe
that, seeing the rebel ships flying the
Brazilian flag, he might have thought
they were ships of the existing govern
menu, and that under the custom and
rules of nations he was compelled to
pay his respects by national salute.
There would then have bsen no cause
for President Poixeto's government,
which is that recognized by the United
States, being offended. Rear Admiral
Stanton's action, however, isideolaress to
have been equivalent to saying that the
United States had recognized the insur-
gents as government, when, as a mat
ter of fact, they have not even been
recognized as belligerents by any in
structions from this end of the line.
From the Pugilists' Paradise.