The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-08
THE ATLANTA,s CONDITION.
secretarv Herbert Reprimands tho On,e.r,
Who Were Responsible FOR II,


WAsHINGToN. Sept. THE scandal brourht
to tho attention OF tho Navy Department
through the report Of court OF inquiry, con.
vened last month at Norfolk to in.
vestgate a fire on board tho cruiser
Atlanta and the general condition of that yes.
sci. had It's elimination to-day in q general or.
der issued by Secretary Herbert. roprlmand-
Ing officers responsible for the cruisers
condition. 1t was the intention OF tho
department to order court martial
for the trial OF tho officers involved.
but owing to the fact that other officers. pre-
viously attached to the vessel who are believed
to be equally responsible with those named in
the report submitted iby the Court OF Inquiry.
could not be legally reached. it was decided to
issue general order OF reprimand.
The Court of Inquiry found that the Atlnnta's
watertight compartment doors could not be
closed through the accumulation OF rust.
although no official report from her officers
indicated this. and that she was covered with
rust and In bad condition. caused by neglect
After saying that it seems remarkable. In
view OF the facts found. that the Court Of In
finds that the origin q the iiro referred to is
Norfolk Navy Yard Where the vessel 1' w sas
dR Ps when s shS fire GSa and
Hugh IL; Cline. late Of the Atlanta.
In n pe5fmittiinG "a quantity OF ashes to
head of the forward flreroom. The neglect.
appears to have been due chiefly. II not
thorlty on board the Atlanta to get rid OF the
vessel as soon as possible by turning her over
to the navy yard authorities.
The court properly fixes. the responsibility
for the Are upon the ofllcers herein before
named. but It appears to the department.. II
court are Indirectly responsible therefor
81 sim ii t snd
she was placed out OF commission. The de-
partment refrains from naming such persons
the fact that the court failed to fix the meas
ur re, OF their responsibility for the aeti9n%
ssnaSt the enF9 ef his shP To-
comply with regulation which provides
that the senior engineer the Navy Yard
Of vessel when her senior eeeinesr Is DE-.
tached. is referred to by Mr.. Herbert as most
Whch fs IRE the
The Secretary says that it is apparent
thst the neglect p5opsTIy obsefSs
steel ships has extended back for some
o0 ns Of On he xesse
Nicaragua Still Capt. Bartlett is criticised
for making perfunctory Inspections OF the
that her condition was satisfactory. when 1t
was shown conclusivey that he did not at any
time make a thorough inspection Of the en-
CINE and fire rooms and their parts. but relied
upon reports made to him by the chief en-
gineer.
BY so doing" says Secretary Herbert. Tho
assumes u great measure OF the responsible
ity for the state in which the Atlanta was
found. as, his failure to, make a thor
ough and proper examination OF the
vessel when he took command. or
renders 1t impossible now
to determine how much Of her bad plight Is
due to his own neglect and how much to that
Of his predecessors in command"
Chief Engineer Cline is also AIKEN to task for
neGlecting his duty. In conclusion tho Secre-
tary says:
Under all the circumstances above stated.
the officers named in the report as resnonsi-
BILE for the fire and for the tcondition in viii ch
the ship was found are richly deserving
Of trial by general court martial It
Is only because Of the fact that 1t would
be difficult. II not impracticable to bring
to trial all OF the parties whom the depart
ment deems responsible. and in some m easure
because of tho opinion expressed by the court
Of inquiry that no further proceedings are
necessary. that further judicial proceedings
are not instituted"
Tomorrow or next day Secretary Herbert
will issue order amending the naval regu-
ations as to provide for more rigid inspec-
Ions and reliable reports.