Evening star., 1893-10-30
DISCUSSING THE SALUTE.
Admiral Stanton's Action as Viewed by
Naval Authorities

The case of Admiral Stanton presents
several curious phases. His brief telegram
to Secretary Herbert published in Satur-
days Starr throws new light on the sub
ject and his friends are beginning to hint
strongly that the Navy Department acted
with unseemly haste in detaching him. Ac-
cording to their argument his telegram
shows that he fired a salute to the Brazil
ian flag displayed by the insurgent admiral
and not in honor of the insurgent or his
cause. 1t was not for new arrival they
say. to ignore the Brazilian flag used by
the insurgents and treat them as pirates
when the U. S. s. Charleston and all the
other foreign war ships in the harbor. we'll
acquainted with the situation. had never
treated them as pirates. The naval regu-
lations require salutes to be fired in honor
of foreign ships, especially in their own
harbors, and the flag is the best known
means of establishing the nationality of a
vessel. Admiral Stanton says that after
saluting the Brazilian flag ashore he sa-
luted the only Brazilian admiral afioat,
Ihat was Mello. the insurgent leader. who,
II appears, uses the regular Brazilian flag.
inquiry at the Navy Department has
brought to light matters that are claimed
to be precedents for Admiral Stanton &
action, and some officers believe that the
admirars unfortunate salute was justified
by circumstances. They say that COM
mander of a naval vessel must either ac-
knowledge the flag fioated by another arm
ed vessel or a different nation or else seize
or attempt to seize her as a pirate. If Adj
miral MellO had no authority from any
recognized government land the Insurgents
have no gOvernmenD to display the flag
that was flying on his flagship, he was
an unauthorized armed rover of the sea
and should have been considered and treat T.
ed as pirate. If he had the right to float
the Brazilian flag he should have been sa-
luted. 1t is further contended in Admiral
Stanton's behalf that in view of the fact
that Admiral Mello holds a commission as
an officer of the Brazilian navy the Amer,.
can commander could not have done other.
wise than pay him the customary cour-
tesies
One officer, who is somewhat indignant al
what he terms "the summary detachment
OF Stanton on insufficient information" said
he would not be at all surprised IL Admiral
Stanton's mistake In saluting the Brazilian
flag on a rebel ship was repeated by the
commander of the L. s. s. Detroit on her
arrival in the harbor of Rio today or tomor.
row, who. OF course, will not be supposed to
know that the insurgents have no right 10
fly that particular flag.
Not satisfactory.
Naval officers who indorse the action OF
the department say that the EXPLANATION
offered by Admiral Stanton's friends is no,
satisfactory. One of them said that Admiral
Stanton was in no way obliged to salute the
Brazilian flag that fioated from the mast O,
an insurgent vessel He knew before he was
placed in command of the United States
men-of-war at Rio that Admiral Mello was
an insurgent, so there was no ground for
pleading ignorance on that score: and, be.
sides, Admiral Stanton had previously sa.
luted the flag of the government of Brazil
and, said this officer. the occasion in nowise
demanded that he should repeat the salute
when he saw the flag on the ship. MOI
would he have been compelled To seize the
ship pirate had he not saluted. If such
49,.
would have a great amount of unnecessary
work to do.