The herald., 1898-03-26
THE HAMPTON ROADS FLYING
SQUADRON
AN OFFICER OF DISCRETION
Won't Talk at All on the Subject Of
Intercepting the Spanish Tor
pedo Flotilla
A..ociated Press Special wire

Winfield Scott Schlcy, at present connected
with the Lighthouse Board has been or
dered to command the flying squadron
HAMPTON Roads with the Brooklyn as hi
flagship.
Commodore Schley received the news o
his assignment at the Lighthouse Board
where he was engaged in closing some OF
the work of the bureau. He expects thai
it will be day or two before he finishes
his work here and takes command OF the
squadron His command at present com
prises three vessels-the Brooklyn, Column
bia and Minneapolis, all ocean greyhounds
but in a short time his squadron probably
will be swelled to about dozen ships.
Commodore Schley refused to talk at all
concerning rumors that the Flying Squad
ron might be sent out to intercept the
Spanish torpedo boat fiotilla. He said that
was a matter concerning which he could
say nothing at all.
Commodore SchIey has fine record for
discretion, good judgment and fighting
qualities. He was in command of the Bal
timore during the Chilean trouble, which
termination of which, it is believed, was
due largely to his tact and discretion. The
three vessels at present under his COM
mand are swift cruisers and among the
others which will probably be added are
the st. Paul and st. Louis of the American
Line, which were built so that they could
be turned into efficient fighting machines
at few days notice. These vessels have
;v,,,, sod ~ a.
ments have been perfected between the
government and President Griscom SO that
no delay will result when the decision is
reached that the outlook justifies the large
expenditure of money necessary for their
transfer to the Navy Department.
Commander w. H. Emory and Com
mander Willard H. Brownson, at present
in Europe on special mission for the gov
ernment, it is expected, will be assigned
to command of the st. Paul and the st.
Louis.
Two battleships, the Texas and Massa-
chusetts, are on the way to add to the
fighting strength of the Flying Squadron.
One of them may reach Hampton Roads
today and the other should be there to-
morrow. The Massachusetts is a first
class battleship of 1O,2SS tons displacement.
Wills the 1eAdS iS d ScSOuu-CldSS Udttlt-
ship of 6,315 tons. Both are heavily ar
mored and will add immensely to the
strength of the squadron. They are less
speedy than the cruisers, which naturally
would do the scouting while the battle
ships would bear the brunt of the hot work
of battle.
Commodore Schey visited the Navy De-
partment before noon and after talk with
would assume command of the Flying
Squadron Monday. The formal orders
posted at the department today, stating
that Commodore Schley was displaced
from his service on the Lighthouse Board
and was ordered to command the Flying
Squadron was the first public admission
of the Navy Department of the creation of
a Flying Squadron. The fact that the
squadron was contemplated has been we'll
known but not until today has the de-
partment defined its character. The desig-
nation of Flying has distinct meaning
In naval parlance. 1t will give the ships
base at Hampton Roads, but they will be
subject at all times to Commodore Schley's
orders for immediate service at any other
point along the Atlantic coast, or indeed
throughout the world.
At present the fine armored cruiser
Brooklyn. which is to be Commodore
Schley's flagship, and the battleship Tex
as, which, it was learned later, arrived last
night, are the only ships of the Flying
Squadron at Hampton Roads. The battle
ship Massachusetts is hourly expected and
the crack cruisers Columbia and Minneap-
oils are outftting at the League Island
Navy Yard and will proceed to Hampton
Roads at an early date as well.
The cruiser Cincinnati and the gunboat
Wilmington probably will be added to this
squadron; also the Bancroft, now on her
way across the Atlantic An official or
der was issued today detaching Captain
Chester, Commander of the Cincinnati
from the South Atlantic Squadron. The
effect of this is to remove the Cincinnati
from the South Atlantic service and make
her available for the North Atlantic sta
ton, where her speed would make her
valuable adjunct to the quick maneuvers
of a flying squadron.
Commodore Schley's orders, in terms
make him commander of distinct squad
ron so that the ships at Hampton Roads
will be entirely apart from the North At
lantic Squadron, of which Captain Samp-
son is in command.
This is an unusual expedient, as the
North Atlantic vessels have been intact
heretofore.
SICARD RELIEVED
WASHINGTON, March 25-An order, is
sued by the Navy Department today, car
ries out the suggestion of Secretary Long
that Captain Sampson would command the
North Atlantic Squadron. The order, as
issued, reads:
"Commander-in-Ch of the North At
lantic Station
Although Key West advices state
that the battleship Iowa probably
will be Captain Sampson's flagship,
the order standing at the Navy Depart
ment is that the cruiser New York will
continue as flagship.
Admiral Sicard was detached from COM
mand of the North Atlantic Squadron and
allowed six months leave by orders issued
today. The effect of this six months leave
Is practically to close Admiral Sicard' s
active service in the navy He retires, un-
der the age limit of sixty-two, on Sept. 1.
which is just six months hence. This will
give him only six days active service when
his leave expires. This is a source of the
sincerest regret to Secretary Long and all
Naval officials, who pay the highest trib-
ute to the devoted services of Admirar ST.
card throughout the recent critical period.
and to his personal bravery in remaining
at his post while his health was in n pre-
carious condition.
NOT YET TRANSFERRED
KEY WEST, Fla, March %. - The
md Of