The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-05-17
THE TROUBLE WITH MEADE.
The Admiral Declines to Answer
Secretary Herbert.
A FULL STATEMENT OF FACTS.
Meade Wanted His snip Repaired at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard, but the Officials
Ordered Ii 20 NsrfoIk

WASHINGTON, May 15.-In regard to
the case Of Rear Admiral. Meade. Secre-
tary Herbert has given out to the press
a statement of facts. The secretary
said:
THE navy department addressed a
letter to Admiral Meade stating shat il
desired to know if he was willing to an
swer whether he had given, or had au.
thoriaed, what purported to be an inter.
view with him published in the New
York Tribune, and Admiral Meade re.
piled, acknowledging receipt of the
letter, but declining to answer the ques-
tons.
Referring to other questions of diff
ference between Admiral Meade and the
department, Secretary Herbert said:
"The facts in relation TO the failure of
the department to grant Admiral
Meade's request to have the Cincinnati
ordered to the New York yard instead
Of to the Norfolk yard are that his YES.
sci was ordered by the department to 90
to the Norfolk navy yard for some
necessary repairs. This was done upon
the recommendation of the chief con.
structor, who desired that work, which
is now scarce at both yards, might be
equalized between the Norfolk and
Brooklyn yards. Admiral Meade, who
had selected the Cincinnati for his flag
ship during the absence of the New
York, was thereupon ordered to hoist
mis- flag upon that vessel upon her ar
rival at Norfolk, in the interim hosting
his flag on the Minneapolis"
Wrote a Second Letter.
He afterwards forwarded a second re-
quest to the department to have the
Cincinnati ordered to New York instead
of Norfolk. On the day when this lat
ter request was received Secretary Her.
bert was not in the department, and on
the next morning, when he came to the
Office, after comforting with Assistant
Secretary McAdoo, he decided to order
the Cincinnati to New York. He also
directed orders to be made out to Ad-
miral 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 nothing
to add in explanation of the above, as it
contained all the information the de-
partment had TO give out. The sole OBJ
ject Of the statement is TO show that Ad-
miral Meade has acted impetuously in
his dealings with the department. first.
as stated, in asking to be detached be-
cause his request for the Cincinnati to
come to New York was not promptly
granted as he wished and by implica-
ton, when he spoke hastily in the inter-
view which caused so much surprise.
In the interview which has brought
him under the displeasure of the navy
department, Rear Admiral Meade said,
in speaking of the flag on the New
York, that it meant he was detached
from his squadron at his own request.
He gave as a reason for his retirement
that his ideas were not in accordance
with those of the administration and
that he was as much disSusted with it
rs were the people at large. Rather
than be connected with it, ne preferred
to resign and sever all connections with
it. He said he was an American, a
Union man, and those were two things
the administration could not stand. He
said the Kershner case was only one Of
the petty difficulties he had to deal
with, and accused some one of giving
out information, which was in direct
violation Of all navy regulations, and
which brought on the present trial.