The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-04
LOST The ILLINOIS
CROWNINsHIELD, PIQUED, GOES
OUT OF SERVICE.
REAR ADMIRAL TO RETIRE
WILL ADVANCE a GRADE AND
DRAW $5,625 A YEAR.

Commander of the European squad
ron Was Flying His Flag on the
BnttIeship IIIinOis-That Ship Nns
Taken from Him and He Was
Given the Chicago rs His Flag
ship - Protested Against the
Change-His Application n Result
of the Change.
Washington. March 3.-Two interest
ing and significant communications
were received to-day at the Navy De-
partment from the European station.
One was from Rear Admiral Aren't
Schuyler Crowninshield, commanding
the European squadron. asking to be
placed on the retired list of the navy
under the provisions of the personnel
bill The other was from Lieut.. Henry
II. Ward, naval secretary to Admiral
Crowninshield, resigning his commits
sion in the navy.
Prompt action was taken by Secre-
| tary Moody in regard to the case OF
Rear Admiral Crowninsheld, and it
was decided to relieve him from ac-
tive duty at once, in order that he
might come home or visit European
capitals, whichever should be his de-
sire. His application for retirement
will undoubtedly be granted
Rear Admiral Charles S. Cotton,
| commandant of the navy yard at Nor
folk, Va. was assigned to the COM
mand of the squadron, and will re-
| linquish his present duty at once and
! start for Europe as soon as he can
| arrange his official and private af-
fairs. The European squadron is COM
| posed of the cruiser Chicago, flagship;
the protected cruisers Albany and Gin
| cinnati, the cruiser Raleigh and the
gunboat Machias.
Took His ship Away.
The Navy Department contented it,
self at first with the brief statement
of the admiral's application for retire
ment without explanation of the rea-
| son therefor. IL is known however,
that the officer was dissatisfied with
! the Encouragement of the armored
| squadrons following the Caribbean
maneuvers last winter, which depriv-
ed him of the further use of the Illinois
as a flagship.
| The circumstances under which he
came to be deprived of this ship, one
| of the latest and most formidable In
| this or any other navy. were entirely
| impersonal The general board. of
| which Admiral Dewey is head had de-
| cided upon the creation of a nagnif1-
| cent squadron of ironclads of the first
type to constitute the home squadron.
| guarding the Atlantic and Gulf coasts,
| as the famous British Channel Squad
ron" forms a first wall of defense in
| that country 1t was necessary, In the
| judgment of the board, in order to
| make this fleet of the necessary
| -. 1. u.
| to include the Illinois. Moreover, such
battleships are neither effective or eco
nomica as cruisers, and the Illinois
was doing that sort of duty in Europe.
| So, carrying out its general policy and
| without regard to personal feelings tfe
| Navy Department assigned Admiral
| Crowninshield to command the Chicago.
and kept the Illinois on the North At
| lantic station.
His Pride Received a Blow.
Admiral Crownnshield did not care
to go back to the Mediterranean. and to
the ports of Northern Europe. where his
| flag had aoated over the battIeship, in
an inferior craft, so he protested. That
protest was made. during the maneu-
| Vers, and it was given due considera-
ton, but the original plan held.
Admiral Crownnshield retires un-
| der that, section of the personnel act
| which permits him to do so at an ad-
vanced grade in consideration of at
| least forty years credftable service
| Fle is now No. 20 on the list of the rear
admirals. and thus in the junior grade,
| so that his retirement will place him
in the first grade, where his retired
| pay will be $685. per annum, or $500
more than he would receive were he
retired in his present grade.
| 1t was stated at the Navy Depart
ment later in the day that Secretary
Moody had cabled an acceptance Of
Admiral C1owninshield's request to re-
tire and Expressing regret at the loss
which the navy would sustain. 1t is
expected that the admiral will haul
down his flag about March 20. He
will not return to the United States on
a navy vessel, probably spending some
| time in Europe before coming home.
Admiral Cotton was instructed to go
to the squadron at the earliest mo-
ment, and he replied to-day that he
could close up his business at the Nor
folk navy yard and be ready to start
I