The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-05-15
THE MEADE CASE.
The Navy Department Has Given Out a
 Statement.

! Statement.
 Washington, May 14.-The navy de- partment this afternoon gave out the | following statement concerning the | Meade case:
 The navy department addressed a let ter to Admiral Meade stating that it
 desired to know if he was willing to | answer whether he had given, or had
 authorlzed what purported to be an
 interview with him published in the
 New York Tribune and Admiral Meade
 replied, acknowledging receipt of the letter, but declining to answer the ques- tion.
 "The facts in relation to the failure of the department to grant Admiral l Meade's request to have the Cincinnati
 ordered to the New York yard instead
 of the Norfolk yard are that this yes sel was ordered by the department to
 go to the Norfolk yard for some neces- | sary repairs. This was done upon the recommendation of the chief construc- tor, who desired that work which Is now scarce at both yards might be capitalized between the Norfolk and
 Brooklyn yards. Admiral Meade, who l has selected the Cincinnati for his flagship during the absence of the New
 York was thereupon ordered to hoist
 his flag upon that vessel upon her ar
 rival at Norfolk, in the interim hoist
 ing his flag on the Minneapolis. He
 afterwards forwarded a second request
 to the department to have the Cincin-
 natl ordered to New York instead of
 Norfolk. On the day when this latter
 request was received Secretary Herbert was not in the department at any
 time.
 Assistant Secretary McAdoo, in charge did not act upon the request
 as he did not think it proper to take any action in the matter until the secretarys return. On the next day when Secretary Herbert came to the office this matter having been brought to his attention he at once summoned before him the chief constructor and after comforting with him and the as- sistant secretary jointly decided to or- der the Cincinnati to New Yorw and ordered Admiral Ramsey, 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 a letter came in the noon mail from Admiral Meade, asking to be detached from the squadron, which request the secretary granted"
 Secretary Herbert said he had noth- ing to add in explanation of the above The sole object of the statement, 1t is understood, is to show the admiral has acted impetuously in his dealings with the department
 The president decided to hold the admiral to account for his utterances and on Saturday last a letter was sent to the admiral at his club here, asking if he had authorized the interview. The 1 admiral's reply was received yesterday and as he therein declined to incrim- mate himself the department was met | by the embarrassing situation that it | would be unable to prove anything | against the admiral if resort were had | to court marital proceedings.
 To-day when Secretary Herbert went | to the cabinet meeting he was followed | by a messenger bearing a big volume | of the naval regulations and other | law books relating to court martial | The entire matter, it is stated, was | considered at the cabinet | meeting and subsequently, Secretary | Herbert was cIoseted for two hours with | Admiral Ramsey, Judge Advocate Gen eral Lemley and Assistant Secretary IcAdoo. For a portion of the time Ensign Niblack, who was Meade's first lieutenant while the admiral com manded the squadron, was also pres- ent.
 As a result of this conference the l authorized statement as above given was finally made.