The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-14
NAVAL OFFICER CENsURED.


the Torpedo Boat Collision.
The findings and opinions Of the court
of enquiry which investigated the collision
OF the torpedo boats Dahlgren and Craven
off Newport. October is, together with the
action of the Navy Department in the mat
ter. were made public yesterday. The court
was OF the opinion that Lieut.. : ord II.
Brown. commanding the Craven, Wa main
ly responsible for the collision, and recon-
recommendation was not followed, the Sec
rotary of the Navy approving the following
memorandum Of Judge Advocate General
Lemly, advising that Lieutenant Brown and
Lieut.. William c. Miller commanding the
Dahlgren. be censured:
I'm view of the fact that few officers
have had experience in the handling of
torpedo boats. and of the inadvisability
of intoxicating in the minds Of the younger
officers Of the service. to whom the COM
mand of such boats must necessarily be
entrusted, an excess Of caution which
might seriously interfere with their effi
cheney, it is believed that the trial by
general court martial of Lieut.. Ford II.
Brown, while properly recommended by
the court, is unnecessary. and have the
Ger be, as in the case Of Lieut.. William
c. Miller. censured."
The court found that the night was dark
but light could be distinguished, and there
were no unusual difficulties in navigating
the boats; that Lieutenant Miller was
familiar with handling torpedo boats in
company, but Lieutenant Brown was rot:
and that arrangements for safety had
been agreed On by the two officers. The
court says also that the Craven was not
maintained at a proper and safe distance
fTO11 the Dahigren. that no perfect look
out was kept on the Craven. and that
Lieutenant Brown left his position of cb-
Servance to examine chart at an i'm
portant time. Summing UP, the court
says:
1.-The opinion of the court is, therefore,
that Lieut. Ford H. Brown is mainly re-
sponsibe for the collision. His dangerous
position with reference to the Dahlgren
was of his own choosing, as the understand
ing between the commanding officers Of the
two boats was that the Craven should fol-
low the Dahlgren. Being in such posi-
tion he should have recognized the neces-
sty of absolute vigilance. His endeavor to
look at The chart at such moment WAS
most serious error Of judgment.
ANY anxiety as to position or depth of
water was at the time uncalled for, and
should not have drawn his attention from
the much more pressing danger of the situ-
alton in which he had placed himself His
desire to observe the chart, while worthy
in itself. was inopportune and ill-juiged;
and the error of judgment caused him i'm
properly to hazard the Craven under his
command. and produced the collision with
the Dahlgren, which latter boat had the
right OF way.
I'm the opinion of the court further pro-
ceedings should be had against Lieut.. Ford
H. Brown, and that officer should be tried
by general court martial for the follow
ing specific acts, namely:
Fer inefIiciency in the performance of
duty in failing, under the circumstances
in which the torpedo boat T. A. NJ Graz
ven. under his command, was placed. 10
maintain the vigilant lookout and per-
sonal supervision over his vessels move
ments necessary to avoid collision, thers-
by improperly haZarding said vessel and
causing collision between said vessel and
the torpedo boat Dahlgren, with which he
was cruising in company.
while the court is of the opinion that
the main responsibility for the coil sion
rests upon Lieutenant Brown, it thinks
Lieutenant Miller committed an error Of
Judgment in not, in the circumstances. in
dicating in some way the intended chance
of course to Lieutenant Brown, in whas,
company he had never before maneuyred
torpedo boats. The court in expressing
this opinion regarding Lieutenant Miller
has in mind the fact that It has not Eee1
customary in handling torps'lo boats to
gether to give previous notification of
change of course unless they were quite
close to each other-a fact which mIr,-
gates greatly the error of omission re-
ferred to on the part of Lieutenant MI
Ter. For this error Of judgment the ccirt
is OF the opinion that Lieutenant Miller
should be admon shed or censured"