Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-22
STANTONS EXPLANATION.
The Admiral Tells Why He saluted the
Brazilian Flag.
Secretary Herbert's Letter Going Over
ture-RestOring Him to Command.

AS predicted in yesterdays Star, Secretary
Herbert has restored Commodore y. +.
Stanton to duty, giving him command OF
the North Atlantic station, with the rank
of acting rear admiral This station is re-
garded as the best assignment in the navy.
because all the cruising is done in home
waters and the officers are never very far
from their wives and families. At present
the kearsarge and Vesuvius are the only
vessels attached to this station, but 1t will
have some very important additions in a
short time when tie new vessels. now near
ing completion, are put in commission.
The cruiser New York, undoubtedly the
crack ship Of the navy, will be the nag
ship of the home station in case the trou-
bles at Rio do not require her presence in
brazilian waters. The big monitor Man.
tonomoh will also be assigned to the North
Atlantic squadron, unless it Is found neces-
sary TO send her to Brazil, which is not at
AL likely. Then there are the cruisers
Montgomery. Marblehead. Castine and
Machias, all OF which are nearly ready for
service. At least two of these will be as
signed to the home squadron for time at
least. 1t appears, therefore, that Admiral
Stanton gains rather than loses by his re-
cent summary detachment from command
of the United States fleet at Rio because
he saluted the national flag of Brazil dis
played by the flagship Of Mello, the insur-
gent leader.
Why the salute Was Given.
The correspondence in regard to the Rio
incident was made public yesterday after
noon. In his report Commodore Stanton
explains the salute as follows
Il respectfully state that my reason for
saluting the Brazilian flag flying aboard the
Aquidaban on October 20. when the United
States flagship Newark arrived at Rio
Janeiro, was that thought 1t my duty to
complete the salutes usually fired in honor
of ration on arriving in one Of its ports.
Il regarded the Aquidaban as a Brazilian
man-of-war. the flagship of a Brazilian ad-
miral. Capt. Terry of the Newark thought
1t better not to salute but after considera-
ton II still seemed to me right to do so.
did not intend the salute as in any way
recognizing the right of revolt. but only as
an honor to the flag of the nation the vessel
bore, and In the belief that whatever the
outcome OF the contest between the parties
might be the ship would still belong to the
Brazilian nation.
regarded the situation Of affairs as in
a degree similar to that of the late war in
Chile for the reason that the Brazilian
navy and some, at least, OF the members of
the Brazilian national legislature had Joined
in the revolt, and my impression was that
foreign ships of war arriving in Chilean
waters had continued the usual honors to
the Chilean warships."
Secretary Herberrs Letter.
The Secretary's letter to Commodore Stan.
ton reviews the facts leading I'D to the
commodores detachment, and gives the cor
respondence between Secretary Herbert and
the commodore relating to the salute The
letter continues:
The department thinks You committed o
grave error of judgment, and that the facts
and circumstances surrounding you at the
time were sufficient to have warned YOU
against 1t. Your government had not recoR.
nized or authorized you to recognize Ad.
miral Mello and mis- forces as entitled to
beliigerent rights. 1t does not alter the case
that when you called on him and that when
ne returned the call he was dressed in the
uniform of a Brazilian rear admiral
Although wearing that uniform YOU
knew that he was not wearing 1t in the
seryice OF his government A course of rea-
soning which holds that a government or a
rag gives status to an officer in spite OF
what he and his government may do is evil
IDENTIFY not sound.
The department has never for a moment
considered that you were Intentionally
guilty OF wrong in this matter, but only tina,
you committed a grave error OF Judgment
FOR this reason, and to satisfy the author
tues CT Brazil, who were offended at your
action, you were detached from your COM
mand The department. now feeling assur-
ed That no further action will be necessary
TO prevent the recurrence of such errors
VIII as Soon as practicable. restore you to
command
You will at once be put in charge of the
North Atlantic station. and when it is con.
venient for the San Francisco to return to
North American waters you will be trans
ferred to the station from which you were
detached"