The evening times., 1898-05-10
ADMIRAL BELKNAP'S REMARKS
His Criticism Upon the Naval STRAIT
egy Board DeplOred.


The criticism of Rear Admiral Belknap,
retired. on the naval administration in a
speech before the Massachusetts Club al
Boston on Saturday night, has been the
subject of considerable discussion at the
Navy Department, and 1t is pretty well
understood that the department has call
ed on the read admiral to ascertain wheth7
er his remarks were correctly reported. as
a preliminary to further official action.
which may take the form of an official
reprimand. or. considering the aggrava-
ton. perhaps a trial by court-martiai.
Until the officer has an opportunity IL
be heard from, the department declines
20 anticipate its own action.
The War Board. or. as Admiral Bel
knap is said TO have termed it. the Ma
val Strategy Board. is an important part
of the Administration. and it Is consid-
cred a very serious affair for an officer
TO criticise the Administration, even In
times OF peace. In the course of actual
war such an offense is looked upon as
heinous In the extreme. especially as re-
tired officers are practically in active
service at the present time. II is also
thought that Admiral Belknap's refer
ences TO the German emperor We're ex-
ceedingly unfortunate at this critical Pc
iipu. L ne pdIdSTdpn Ol lne Naval feSu-
lations which Admiral Belknap has prob
ably violated is No. 1897, which pre-
scribes:
''Afi votes, resolutions or publications in
praise or censure of any person in the
naval service is forbidden"
1t is held that this regulation is fully
applicable in this instance. the public oc-
oasion on which the TRADE was delivered
constituting a publication within the in
tent of the regulations.
Following are the remarks made by
Rear Admiral Belknap in criticism of the
Naval Strategy Board. in his speech at
the dinner of the Massachusetts Club in
Boston last Saturday:
There is. as you know. a naval strate-
gy Board in Washington to direct naval
movements at this juncture. Some of its
first members never had a minutes ex-
perience in war. Heaven save the mark,
How could they plan movements for the
guidance of old officers afiOat who are
supposed to know their business of hand
ling and fighting ships and fleets without
outside advice? But 1t has been said that
Capt. Mahan has been ordered home to
take a seat at the Strategy Board. Fam
cy Dewey brave, able. and dashing
splendid seaman and brilliant commander
who, If the reports of this forenoon are
true has won one of the most unique
COHplett, anu SlSu DdtticS u tHc Ceu-
tury. taking advice on professional lines
from mere writer of books like Mahan!
1t is Utterly absurd. Mahan is an ac-
complished and forceful writer. but there
is no Farragut or Dewey sea genius in his
makeup.
"You will remember that during our
civil war the Strategy Board of the War
Department, consisting of Secretary STAN
ton and Gen. Hallett. attempted to handle
the armies in the field from their snug
offices in Washington. but. after three
years of laundering and the several dis
astrous defeats that befell the Army of
the Potomac. it dawned upon them and
the country that they had better let the
generals at the front make their own
plans and put them into execution. Hap
PLY for the chief command in the field.
a capable person was found in the person
of Grant. Military critics said. to be
sure. that he was not a strategist, nor
did he pose as such: but Lees army. not
Richmond. was his objective, and he man.
aged to get both. Now. in my Judgment,
the naval strategy of this war is the hunt
ing down and destruction of the Spanish
fleet. That accomplished, the war should
soon come to an end