The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-02
"MUTINY" in THE FLEET
REAR ADMIRAL HIGGINsON AL
LEGGED TO HAVE BEEN SNUBBED.
Captains Declined to Attend the Re-
ceptiOn in Honor of the Duchess
of Marlborough.

CHICAGO. Sept. 1.-The Record Heralds
correspondent, on dispatch boat off Mem
esba Blight, wired Sunday night as fol-
lows: There is war in the fleet of Hig-
ginson-war more real than the makebe-
lieve one which is to betide the hitherto
united services at midnight to-day. And
woman, lovely woman, harmless woman, Is
the cause of it all. To begin at the be-
ginning. Captain French E. Chadwick.
president of the naval war college was a
visitor TO the flagship Kearsarge Saturday
afternoon. Shortly after his appearance on
board a general signal was made by the
flagship commanding officers report On
board flagship" There was an immediate
calling away of steam cutters, and one
after another of the captains courageous
of this fleet of war ships went trooping up
the gangway of the flagship and into the
cabin of the admiral. All were in full uni
form and with swords clanking at their
heels, and all were wondering what new
and important plan of strategy the ad-
miral had in mind that made a personal
council necessary.
When all the captains had reported and
were assembled i'm the flag officers quarters
of the Kearsarge the admiral arose and an
| nounced that the fleet would remain in
active, arrangements having been made to
receive the Duchess of Marlborough. To
! this reception the admiral added all of the
commanding officers of the fleet were cor
daily invited. There was a moment of
| embarrassing silence, and then one cap
| tain, who has reputation for straight
I forward speech. made vehement and open
protest There was, he explained, OBJ
| 1ectlon TO reception to the duchess
there could be none-but the time, he urged.
| was inopportune Here was the fleet he
lmpetuously pointed out ready to move at
| an instants notice. 1t had been kept in con-
! slant, wearing readiness for this very time
I and just at the very moment when it should
strike, everything must give way to a So
claI FUNCTION, which could take place at
''All of the other captains took the same
VleW-all believed and all said that this was
no no time for social matters, that If the navy
/ was going to play at war, let it play at Il
seriously and have no nonsense about It,
Inelr view was that the maneuvers, re-
gahrded by them as of incalculable value
would be of no consequence whatever If
| played out as summer diversion for So
| clety folk-that II would make a farce of
the whole proceeding and benefit neither
service. The admiral abruptly announced
| his intention to adhere to this plan of en-
tertainment and the council was soon dis
solved, the captains returning to their ships
and giving orders looking to the relief of
| the strain on the engineer forces, which
had been keeping the vessels under fires SO
/ heavily banked that it equivalent to
actual steaming under service conditions.
| sunday came and with it the duchess
| and her party, these arriving by the Aston
yacht, the Nourmahal, and that in turn es-
| corted by the torpedo boat Morris 1t was
| shortly after the noon hour when the Nour-
| mahal came to anchor near the flagship,
| and the first lieutenant went in a steam
| cutter to bear greetings of welcome. Lunch
| con was served on board the Nourmahal.
and about o'clock the Marlborough party
| boarded the waiting launches and set out
| for the flagship. The party included the
duchess, Mr.. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt.
| Mr.. and Mrs. John Jacob Astor, Miss Alise
| Blight, Assistant Secretary of War Sanger
| and Harry Lehr. The yacht flew the flag
| of the assistant secretary. pennant which
| is so rarely seen afioat that there was much
| wonderment among the navy officers as to
| what ii was. Nor was il known what the
| banner with the strange device signified
| until one of the curious wearers of navy