The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-08-08
WASHINGTON LETTER
The Navy Department and the
SChley Trial
/ UNNECESSARY VIGILANCE
Makes the Department Ridiculous in
the PubIia's Eyes.

Washington, August 3.-While
pretending to be fair, the Navy De-
partment, as represented by Rear
Admiral Crowninshield and Assist
ant Secretary Hackett in the alb
sence of Secretary Long, is doing its
yery best to annoy and hamper the
friends of Admiral Schley. Nothing
else, of course was to be expected Of
Crowninshield but better things
had Teen hope. for from Mr.. Hack
ett The latter, however, has re-
fused the request of Schley for a
modification Of the fifth precept,
which assumes the disputed question
Of disObedience of orders and refused
t in language that is little less than
insulting. In his reply to the Ad
miral, Mr.. q fackett still assumes
hat the di-. edience was a fact, but
Pdmits that possibly Schley "did MT
Uilfully disObey" orders, or that he
hight have been Justified in dis
bbeyig them" and therefore refers
bis objections to the court. This,
however, is only the beginning Of the
betty persecution to which Captain
!; Parker, Schley'S representative here,
being subjected. He is at work
N the log books of the Spanish
American War, occupying for that
urpOse the office of Secretary Long,
Fhich is otherwise entirely unused
uring the absence of the Secretary.
Nevertheless, Crowninshield re-
tricts him to a small table in one
prner Of thea ,mand refuses toallow
i'm to receive visitors, and has sta
oned two sentrieS to keep close es-
lonage on Linn to see that he alb
racts nothing from the logs. Cap
bin Parker is a retired officer Of the
Rvy, and such treatment was never
sorted TO before when counsel for
officer sought information from
be files Of the department. The
Bluabc logs Of the Civil War per-
ID have been open to persons with
ut the espionage of officers acting as
riyate detectives, and it is contend
that in so important case the
Dnesty of the counsel should not be
npugned by the scrutiny given his
Ork through officers detailed by the
apartment.
Recent consular reports to the
tate Department which are being
I'D in the secret files Of the Govern
ent until the close of the South
frlcan war, show that increasing
tterness is marking the course of
at struggle, the chief causes being
e hanging of "Cape Rebels" by the
ntlsh, the burning of Boer houses
ID the gathering Of Boer women
ID children into concentration
mps, the use of Kaffirs by the Brit
ss the charges of killing wounded
en- IN cold blood. Thus a conflict
aleh at its beginning was marked
lth exceptional humanity is taking
some of the bitter and cruel as
ctS Of prolonged partisan warfare.
Nv 4 Pc use Of Kafirs as scouts by the
lush, as stated in Lord Kitchener
est dispatches, is full of dire pos
llties. Heretofore both the Boer:
British have used Kafirs az
.t up servants, hostlers and in a few
IN er menial capacities. There was
aat agreement on. both sides thai
should not be employed in mil.
= duties. If this lis to be violated
the tens Of thousands Of natives
to be drawn into the struggle
Sder is likely to replace the les
oarous code of recognized war
The reports giving the de
phons of the reconcentradt
9pS in South Africa are 80 plai1
Wen that the Administration doe
dare to allow them to becom'
own.
@Elll be interesting to watch ant
What becomes Of the cases o
@ extravaganza in the arm,
oSpOrt service recently DISCLOSE
RpOrts by the Inspector -GneraP
and referred to the Quarter
ers Department for explana
1t will be remmbered ths
ing the Spanish War, Genera
4 enridge, the Inspector Genera
nnampered in every possible wa
@neral Corbin, and not allOwe
ssSe complaint Of the many cas-
administration! that were III
a the war, the situation has bee