The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-15
Case OF admiral meade
Navy Department Gives Out In
formation.
MAIN CAUSES OF THE TROUBLE
The Sole object of the Proceeding Is 10
Show That tho Admiral Had Acted
Hastily In Asking TO
10 Detached.

Washington, May l4.--In regard to
the case of Admiral Meade. the navy
| department this afternoon gave out
the following statement:
The navy department addressed letter
to Admiral Meade stating that 1t desired
| to know II he was willing to answer
whether he had given. or had authorized.
what purported to be an interview with him
published In the New York Tribune, and
Admiral Meade replied, acknowledging re-
| ceipt of the letter, but declining to answer
the questions.
The facts In relation to the failure OF the
department to grant Admiral Meade's re-
quest to have the Cincinnati ordered to
tho New York yard instead OF to the Nor
folk yard are that this vessel was or
dered by the department to go to the Nor
folk 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 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 his flag
upon that vessel upon her arrival at Nor
folk, In the Interim hoisting his flag on the
Minneapolis. He afterward forwarded a
second request to the department to have
the Cincinnati ordered to New York in
stead of to Norfolk. On the day when
this latter request was received Secretary
Herbert was not in the department at any
time. Assistant Secretary McAdoo being
In charge, did not act upon the request, rs
he did not think it proper to take any ac-
tion in the matter until the secretary's
return. On the next morning, when Sec
rDtn n Ilnr 70. Ia
matter having been brought to his atten-
tion, he at once summoned before him the
chief constructor and, after comforting
with him and Assistant Secretary Nc
Adoo jointly, decided to order the Cincin-
natl to New York and at once ordered Ad-
miral Ramsay, who was present, to make
out orders to intercept the ship at Hamp-
ton roads and order her to New York. He
also directed orders ia 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 Sec
retary granted.
Secretary Has Nothing to Add.
Secretary Herbert said he had moth
Ing to add In explanation of the above,
as it included all the information the
department had to impart. The sole
object of the statement, it is UNDER
stood. is to show that Admiral Meade
has acted impetuously in his dealings
with the department, first as stated, in
asking to be detached because his re-
quest for the Cincinnati to come to
New York was not as promptly granted
as he wished and by implication that he
spoke hastily in the interview which
caused so much surprise.
The president decided to hold the
admiral to account for his utterances,
and on Saturday last, as stated in these
dispatches. letter was sent to the ad-
miral at his club here asking If he had
authorized the interview. The admir-
ais reply to this letter was received
yesterday and as he therein declined
to criminate himself, the department
was met by the embarrassing situation
that 1t would be unable to prove any
thing against the admiral if resort
were had to court martial proceedings.