Evening star., 1895-05-15
WENT TO W00DLEY
Secretary Herbert Consults the
President About Admiral Meade.
NOT SURE OF THE BEST COURSE
The Admiral Has the Best of the
Situation.
A PROBABLE REP RIM AND

Secretary Herbert drove out this morning
and, it is said, spent the day at Woodley, in
consultation with the President to Ihe
best line of action to properly rebuke Ad-
| miral Meade for his recent uncontradicted
| arraignment of the administration. The
| statement of the case made public by Sec
retary Herbert yesterday afternoon shows
| that Admiral Meade was overhasty in the
matter of the Cincinnati, and shows also
| that the admiral had declined to accept
the opportunity to disavow the published
interview or to apologize if it was entirely
| authentic. He might have said that he
was unduly excited at the time he used the
| language attributed to him, and that he
said more than he really meant to say.
Calm. sober reflection does not appear,
| however, to have changed the admirars
views, at least not to the extent of ex-
| pressing regret at their publication.
| Secretary Herbert's Statement
Secretary Herbert's statement is regarded
| by some critics a confession of weak
| ness and practical acknowledgment that
the department does not feel at all sure of
its best course in the matter. The main
| objection to court-martial proceedings
| against the rebellious admiral lies in the
ainculty oil substantiat.ng the charge that
ne used the language attributed to him.
ne does not acknowledge it himself, and
the reporter to whom he spoke is said to
nave notified the department that he de-
chnes to give any information on the SUBJ
1ect, especially as the admiral has not re-
| pudiated his work.
| If the admiral had denied the accuracy
OF the interview. the reporter who wrote
1t might be induced TO swear to its entire
truthfulness. AS it stands his work has
l ha hi
mas no special interest in the issue between
the Navy Department and Admiral Meade
| Under the law civilians cannot be COM
| PEELED to give testimony before naval
courts.
| AS the case stands the admiral seems to
nave the best of the situation, and it is
| alleged offense he has had the benefit of
| wise counsel. 1t is said that the Presi-
| dent is determined to resent Admiral
Meade's criticisms, but the manner of do
ing 1t has not yet been developed.
How to Discipline the Admiral.
According to one authority there are sew
| eral ways in which the department can
I make Admiral Meade uncomfortable, and
| there is an evident intention to do SO. His
request for a years leave was granted be-
| fore the publication of the alleged inter-
view. Otherwise this might have been re-
fused. 1t is not believed that the depart
ment will revoke his leave, as it would
H.,
| this is something the administration par
ticularly desires to avoid. What it may
probably fall back upon is it's prerogative
| to reprimand an officer for any infringe
| ment of navy regulations, and if it does
decide to take this course the letter of CEN
| sure will undoubtedly be the most severe
communication the admiral has ever re-
ceived from the department..
1t is possible that prompt official action
| in this matter may follow today's confer
| ence between the President and the Sec
ha
| Is awaited with great interest in naval
| circles. Admiral Meade's successor as COM
mander-in-chief of the North Atlantic
squadron will probably be announced in
day or two, and if it is anybody but Ad-
mtral Ramsay, chief of the navigation
bureau, there will be great surprise in the
service. 1t is not thought likely that the
command Will be allowed to remain vacant
until the return of the New York and CO.
| lumbia from Kiel in the fall, as was said
| to be the original plan There is important
cludeS the North Atlantic coast and the
Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, and
embarrassments might result from a pro-
longed absence of q responsible official
| head
The Dcpnr rtment's Statement.
The following statement in regard to the
case of Admiral Meade has been issued by
| the Navy Department:
1.-The department has addressed a letter
| krow if he was willing to answer whether
he had or had not authorized what pur-
| ported to be an interview with him pub
| lshed in the New York Tribune, and that
| he had replied, acknowledging the receipt
| of the letter and declining to answer the
questions.
1.-The facts in relation to the failure of the
department to grant Admiral Meade's re-
quest to have the Cincinnati ordered to the
New York yard instead of to the Norfolk
| yard that this vessel ordered by
| the department to go to the Norfolk navy
yard for some necessary repairs. This was
done upon the recommendation of the chief
constructor, who desired that work, which
| is now scarce at both yards, might be
equalzed between the Norfolk and Brook
| lyn yards. Admiral Meade, who has Sc
| lected the Cincinnati for his flagship dur
ing the absence of the New York, was
thereupon ordered to hoist his flag upon
that vessel upon her arrival at Norfolk, in
the interim hoisting his flag on the Min
| neapolis. He afterward forwarded second
request to the department to have the Gin
cinnati ordered to New York instead of to
Norfolk On the day when this latter re-
quest was received Secretary Herbert was
| not in the department at any time. As
sistant Secretary McAdoo being in charge
did not act upon the request, he did not
think it proper to take any action in the
| matter until the Secretarys return. On the
EeXt morning. when Secretary Herbert
came to the office, this matter having been
brought to his attention, he at once sum-
moned before him the chief constructor
and, after comforting with him and Assist
ant Secretary McAdoo jointly. decided to
| order the Cincinnati to New York, and at
once ordered Admiral Ramsay, who was
present, to make out orders to intercept
the ship at Hampton Roads, and order her
to New York. He also directed orders to
be made out to Admiral Meade, notifying
him of this change, and orders both to the
Admiral and to the ship were written and
ready to be signed when letter came in
the noon mail from Admiral Meade, asking
to be detached from the squadron which
request the Secretary granted"
The Government Exhibit.
Assistant Secretary Dabney of the Agri-
cultural Department is in Atlanta. He Is
chairman of the government board of