The Portland daily press., 1895-05-15
MEADE WAS HASTY.
His Request To The Navy Depart
ment Was Granted,
WHEN HIS LETTER ARRIVED ASK
ING TO BE DETACHED.

The Admiral in Response to a Letter
From the Department Declined to In
criminate Himself Regarding his Al
legged Newspaper Utterances.
partment this afternoon gave out state
ment concerning Admiral Meade. The
Navy Department addressed letter to
Admiral Meade. stating that it desired
to know il he was willing to answer,
whether he had given, or authorized
what purported to be an interview with
him published in the New York Tri-
bune. Admiral Meade replied, acknowl-
edging the receipt of the letter, but de-
clining to answer the question. 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 the Nor
folk yard are: This vessel was ordered
by the department to go to Norfolk navy
yard for some necessary repairs. This
was done on recommendation of chief OF
construction. who desired that the 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 ordered to hoist his flag upon
| that vessel upon his Farrival at Norfolk
in the interim hoisting his flag on the
| Minneapolis. she afterwards forwarded
a second request to the department to
| have the Cincinnati ordered to New
York. On this latter request being re-
ceived Secretary Herbert swas not..in the
| department at any time. Assistant Sec
retary MoAdoo being in charge, did not
act upons the request, as he did not
think it proper to take any action in
| the matter until the Secretary's return.
The next morning when Secretary Her
bert came to the off ce, this matter was
brought to his attention and he at once
| summoned before him the schief con-
structor, and after comforting with him
and assistant. secretar! McAdoo,
jointly, decided decided to order the
ordered Admiral Ramsey, who was pres
ent, to make out orders to intercept the
| ship at Hampton roads and order her
| to New York. He directed the orders to
| bes.nIade out to Admiral Meade, notifying
| him of this change, and orders for both the
| admiral and to the ship were written
and ready to be signed when letter
came in the no0nssmail from Meade ask.
ing to be detached from the aquadron,
which request the Secretary granted.
| Secretary Herbert said he had nothin G
TO add in explanation of the above. The
sole object of the statement, it is under
stood, is to show that Admiral Mead
had acted impetuously in his dealings
With the department.. The President
1 i IoI 49, ~ =
| for his utterances. and Saturday letter
| was sent to the admiral at his club here,
asking if he authorized the interview.
The admiral's reply was received yester-
| day, sand as he therein declined to in
| criminate himself the department. was
in an embarrassing situation in that
| it would be unable to prove anything g
| against the admiral if resort was made
to court martial.
| Today when Secretary Herbert went to
| the cabinet meeting, he was followed by
messenger bearing big volume of
naval regulations and other law books
relating to court martial The entire
matter, it is stated, was thoroughly
considered at cabinet meeting. Secre-
tary Herbert was closeted two hours
with Admiral Ramsay, Judge Advocate
General Lemley and Assistant Secretary
McAdoo. A portion of the time Ensign
Niblack, who was Meade's flag lieutenant
| while the Admiral commanded the
squadron, was present. As result OF
this conference the authorized statemen
| as above given was finally%made