The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-04
ADMIRAL CROWNINSHIELD OUT
HIS FLAG LIEUTENANT, WARD,
ALSO RESIGNS.

much comment were caused among naval
officers to-day over the announcement OF
the Navy Department that Rear Admiral
A. s. Crowninshield, commander in chief
Of the United States naval force on the
European station, had applied for retire.
ment. Rear Admiral Charles 8. Cotton,
commandant Ct the Norfolk Navy Yarj,
will slcoetd him.
There was q disposition to attribute
Admiral Crowninshield's action to some
sensational reason. and this feeling was
increased when IL became known later that
Lieut.. Henry II. Ward, his flag lieutenant,
had resigned from the naval service.
The intimacy Of Admiral Crowninshield
of the younger officer had usually been
coupled with that of the older in the attacks
upon the Navy Department growing out
OF the Schley controversy. made 1t seem
probable TO many naval men that some
Joint cause was responsible for the course
which they have pursued.
1t Is doubtless true that Lieut.. Wards
resignation was direct consequence OF
Admiral Crowninshield's decision TO leave
the active list Lieut.. Ward cast his lot
with the Admiral many years ago and they
have been closely associated throughout
the many hard battles that have been fought
by Crowninshield against his enemies and
critics. In Ward Admiral Crowninshield
dlWaCS mao y ueNOttu anu TtbOuICrIui
henchman. and there were many who re-
garded the younger man as possessed OF
ability which would carry him 10 the highest
honors in the naval service.
For the past eight months there have been
rumors that Admiral Crowninshield in
tended to apply for retirement. The original
rumor was coupled with statement that
he would not retain command OF the Euro
pean squadron IL IL were combined with the
North Atlantic and the South Atlantic
tNAN 1a
West Indies under the supreme command
of Rear Admiral +. j. higginson.
There had been quarrel between Admira,
Higginson and Admiral Crowninshield just
before the spanish war. They had been
by Crowninshield to giving Higginson COM
mand Of the battleship Massachusetts, was
at the bottom OF the AFFAIR
When last winters joint manRuvres
were first proposed it was supposed sa,
c)mmander, but this assignment was given
to Admiral Dewey When they met in the
West Indies. Higginson and Crowninshield
made up their differences and became
good friends again.
From what can be learned here the in
dications are that Admiral Crowninshield's
desire to retire was due partly to the action
OF the Navy Department in assigning his
flagship, the new battleship Illinois, to
the North Atlantic squadron. and direct
Chicago, a much inferior vessel.
new arrangement Of squadrons left
Admiral Grow ninshield without a single
arnor-clad, all Of which were transfe red
to the North Atlantic station. Admiral
Crowninsheid protested. Senator Platt
Of New York saw President Roosevelt
in his behalf, but the President declined
TO interfere. Secretary Moody finally sent
a telegram to Admiral Crown nshield, di-
recting him to transfer his flag to the
He did and rqttlrnaA N tho
European station.
just after getting back to Europe Admiral
Crowninshield sent request TO be retired,
but for some reason II was not acted upon.
Feb. 3. In response to this Secretary
Moody to-day telegraphed Admiral
Crowninsheld at Messina Italy. that the
request would he granted and that the
Admiral Crowninshield was born in New
York and was appointed to the Naval
Academy from that 8 tate in 1880. He saw
service In the Civil War. In 1879 he was
appointed principally through the influence
OF Senator Plat to be Chief Of the Bureau
OF Navigation, the most sought after and
important ONCE In the naval establishment
He held the place throughout the Spanish
and Philippine wars. He was reappointed
for another term Of four years in 1901 but
volunteered for sea duty in 1902, and was
assigned TO command the European station
IL was while he was serving as Chief Of
the Bureau Of Navigation that he wrote
the famous order directing Admiral Dewey
to seek and destroy the Spanish squadron
in the Philippines,
Partisans OF Admiral Schley accused
Admiral Crowninshield Of being at the
bottom Of what they termed the CON
spiracy" against that officer. He was bit
tcrly attacked by the Schley press. His
supposed enmity to Schley was attributed
to the alleged action of a court OF inquiry:
Of which Schley was president. appointed
10 investigate charges that Admiral Crown
inshield did not keep an adequate supply
ship Maine. Scnlcy and Crowninshield
were then Captains Schley commanded
the armored cruiser New York. flagship
% Rear Admiral Bunce, TO whose squadron
the Maine was attached.
The charges were preferred by Bunoe,
who appointed Schley and two other Cap
tains 10 investigate. In the heat OF the
Schley controversy that officers friends
and newspaper defenders allege that the
charges against Crowninshicld had been
found proved by the cour' Of which Schley
was president. and that Crowninshield was
trying To nIure Schley for having done
his duty. A. a matter Of fact, the court ~S-
or.ratsd Crowninshield, and Schley signed
the report
Admiral Crowninshield's friends say that
HE only opposition Ia Schley came from q
frm belief that Schlay had been guilty OF
r-prehensible conduct Ia the Santiago cam
ia IN. and that HE failure To apply for
court 81 inquiry To investigate his record
had brought Teproach upon the navy.
Iieu, Ward II one of the best known
young ofhcers ia the navy, Ia the Spanish
war he weIl la Spain AZ a spy and found
out 10y personal obs~sr walton the condition
~ thu squadron which the spaniards ~er.
Is.pariny 90 send "a the Phi llippines To
defeat Dewey Then he wen, Ia Porto Rico.
where he va. suspecled and arrested
by blufiig he managed Ia make the
Spanish authoTiii.s n-lea-s hin aud after
obtaining -.,Ine valuable Information vent
hack "a FuIoI- IA s,a What hs could about
the plane ~ the enemy Hs sas adyshe-d
ten nuinl.fs for extraordinary h.rolsin
When Admiral Grow ninlSlisld went to
tuIoIe Ia LAks ooinnlAnd ~ the station
NaId went along a. hlS nay il.u,suani
Durihs tho pfogr-ss ~ the haiilsy uisl,
NAfd, sho hsd l@.sn asslsn.d IA as-lsi the
Judss Advocate fiennIal ~ ihs Navy. ~as
siiank.d ss,sIai llnlss ", h-iilsys oJuil-s'l
ful his satlsliy afalilsi tisrI eilani
i.Ilts fIsii,ls 4 i,,ok aud y y hS
nHsion $40 byih .lsil,ls TO- pIon,oilog
a. the ,sasi.ny a. ~ oauasJ ~ Aaiaifsi
ifos nlHHhlslds isilfsis.sni iapi iiook
hassssi, 10 W aid n,uld nat Issss ~" i,ss -
Ia lflakalNaI n.lf.AIaaIltH