Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-06
HOWISON is CHOSEN
Third Member of the Court of In
quiry.
HAS EXPRESSED NO OPINION
Selection is Satisfactory to Admiral
Schley.
WITNESSES TO BE CALLED

The vacancy in the Schley court OF in
qury caused by the inability of Rear Ad-
mral Kimberly to serve on account of i'll
health was filled today by the selection OF
Rear Admiral Henry l.. Howison, u. 8. N.
retired, whose appointment was announced
by Acting Secretary Hackett this after
noon. At the same time it was announced
that this appointment was agreeable to
Admiral Schley. The department before
taking action submitted list of names to
Admiral Schley, which included that of
Rear Admiral Howison, and Admiral Schley
indicated his entire Willingness to accept
any officer on the list.
The department showed the further cour-
tesy of communicating the selection to Cap
tain Parker before making 1t public. AS
| sistant Secretary Hackett also took the pre-
caution before issuing the order of COM
municating with Admiral Howison. who is
at present at Saratoga Springs, n. Y, and
had ascertained from him in advance that
he had given utterance to no expression Of
opinion regarding the merits of the Samp-
son-Schley controversy.
Admiral Howison's Record.
Rear Admiral Howison is one of the
youngest retired officers of his grade, hay-
ing been retired October 10, 1899, when he
reached the age of siXty-two He was a
member of Admiral Dewey's class at the
Naval Academy. from 1854 to 1858. and was
next below that officer on the list of COM
modores when Admiral Dewey fought the
battle of Manila. He served creditably
during the civil war, principally on block
ade duty during the early part of the war.
but participated in the battle of Mobile bay
as commander of the II. s. S. Bienvile.
After the war he served on various ships.
and was for a time inspector of ordnance
at the Washington navy yard. In 1881 he
took command of the old frigate Mime
Ia m nd y Sylln-
merry training school.
1t is rather an interesting coincident
that he was in command of the cruiser
Vandafia at Samoa, which vessel later
went down in the hurricane in Apia har-
Dor while flying the flag of Rear Admiral
Kimberly, who had succeeded him senior
officer on the station, and whom he now
succeeds, on this court Later Admiral
Howison was commandant of the Boston
yard president of the lighthouse board, in
this city, and after the Spanish war COM
mander of the South Atlantic station.
Mistaken for Dewey.
He made famous long-distance cruise
around the world in the Chicago, as the
last act Of his. active career, arriving in
New York, it will be remembered, the day
before Admiral Dewey arrived in the Oiym-
pia. The big fleet that had been assem-
bled to greet the hero of Manila at first
mistook the Chicago for the Olympia. 1t
will also be remembered that, although he
u
command of the receiving fleet at that
time, he refrained from assuming COM
mand, but courteously allowed Admiral
Sampson to do the honorS upon that cele-
brated occasion. While Admiral Howison's
name is not connected with any great event
in naval annals, he always considered
a capable, conscientious and efficient cffi-
Ger.
Preliminary List of Witnesses.
A preliminary list of the witnesses who
will ho cd
has been prepared at the Navy Depart
ment, and notifications are already being
sent out to these officers to hold them
selves in readiness to be present when the
court convenes in September. Some of
these officers are on foreign stations and
will be obliged to leave for home almost
Immediately in order to arrive in time. The
department has been obliged to dispatch
the gunboat Yorktown. which was at Kobe.
Japan, to the Island of Guam, in order to
notify Commander Schroeder, who will be
an important witness. that his testimony
will be required. Commander Schroeder
will be taken back to Japan, whence he
will sail for the United States one Of
the Pacific liners. He participated in the
West Indian campaign on the Massachu-
setts.
Admiral Schley has also submitted a list
Of witnesses, some OF whom for
eign stations, and these also will be ordered
home. One of them is Lieutenant Rodger
Welles who was aboard the Brooklyn, as
member OF Commodore SchleyS STAN
throughout the Spanish war. There are no
Spanish officers on Admiral Schley's list.
Capt. Parker's investigation.
Capt JAS Parker of New Jersey, the ex-
naval officer who is acting as Admiral
Schley's assistant counsel. appeared at the
Navy Department again today to resume
his investigation of the official records In
connection with the disputed points in the
Santiago campaign. He was given desk
in the Secretary's office, as he was last
week, and such records as he called for
were placed at his disposal by the bureau
of navigation. Lieut.. Webster Of the bu-
reau of navigation kept him company dur
ing his researches.
Capt Parker expects to remain in the
city for the remainder of the week. He re-
fuses absolutely to discuss any feature Of