Arizona republican., 1899-12-05

ueEeIOpInenI or the Iact that Rear Au- miral Schley, commanding the South Atlantic station, instead of receiving the usual orders issued to the com mander-inchief of a naval station, as was supposed, has been specifically in structed not to take or send any of the vessels of his small fleet to South Africa. In view of the long-pending controversy over Admiral Schley's con- duct during the Spanish war. the ac- tion of the department in this instance is regarded as especially significant. South Africa is within the geographi- cal limits of the South Atlantic station, and but for the explicit order to the contrary, Admiral Schley would have been perfectly free to go there or not as he saw fit. In fact it has been re- peatedly stated at the navy department to exercise his own discretion in the matter The officials gave tacit con- firmation to this impression by saying that Admiral Schley's sailing orders were similar to the orders usually given to a flag officer about to proceed to a foreign station. An official statement was issued saying that Admiral Schley had been ordered to proceed in the Chi cago to Rio de Janeiro, and then to Buenos Ayres, to inspect the repairs being made to the gunboat Whining ton. As the statement was silent on the important point as to whether the  admiral would be allowed to go to South Africa, it was naturally inferred that the orders themselves contained no reference to that subject and that the admiral had been left free to act according to his own judgment.
 That such was not the case is shown by the actual orders, the text of which is as follows:
 November 20. 1890.
 "Sir: When the U. s. S., Chicago is in all respects ready for sea, proceed with that vessel by the shortest prac- ticable route to the waters of your command. touching en route for coal at Port Castries. St. Lucia, or at Rio Jan eiro, and at such other ports as may be necessary. The department desires you to be at Buenos Ayres with the least practicable delay. in order that you may inspect the vessels of your com mand.
 Tt is also desired that special atten- ton should be given to the repairs un- der way on the Wilmington. Submit to the department without delay a sched= ule of the ports you will visit en route and the probable dates of your arrivals I the Wilmington and Montgomery are attached to your command. The Will mington is now at Buenos Ayres and the Montgomery is now at Montevideo.
 You will await further orders before any vessel of your command visits any African port. Very respectfully,
 J. D. LONG, Secretary. ITO the Commander-in-Chief United
 States Naval Force, South Atlantic
 Station The action of the department will undoubtedly intensity the controversy between the two factions of the navy. Admiral Schley and the other officers on the Chicago were extremely desir- ous of visiting the ports of southern Africa. That prospect has partly recon ciled them to a two years sojourn in the unattractive region of the South Atlantic. It is also understood that Admiral Schley had asked for he same privilege granted to his predecessor, Admiral Howison, that is, that he be permitted to proceed to his station by way of the Mediterranean sea and the Suez canal. That would have enabled him to visit Delagoa bay and Cape Town before visiting the ports of South America. His failure to secure this permission Is well known. But it was not until the publication of the sailing orders that the admiral was prohibited from visiting the African ports on his station.
 According to the New York Herald, the friends of Admiral Schley say that there is no situation in South America demanding his presence with such dis patch. but that it might be different if he were under orders to proceed to South Africa, and they see in the promptness with which he is sent to the South Atlantic desire to have him away from the United States or any point where he will be prominently in the eye of the country when congress convenes. They further assert that the admin ISlTdlIOn IedTS lO let the south Atlan- tic squadron go to South Africa, know iug full we'll that the demonstration which the English would make could not help creating a favorable impress sion at home.
 It is said at the navy department that the orders to Rear Admiral Schley to go to South America have no connec- ton whatever with the personality of that officer. Whoever commanded the South Atlantic squadron at this june ture, it is asserted, would receive sim- Tar instructions, for it is regarded as a matter of national policy to refrain from sending warships to either the Cape or to Delagoa Lay or Durban. The naval officials do not attempt to go further in explanation of the reasons