The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-03-04
CRUISER TOO
SMALL FOR HIM
Rear Admiral CrOwninshield Asks
to Be Retired.
HIS REQUEST COMPLIED WITH
ADMIRAL COTTON ASSIGNED TO
EUROPEAN STATION.

Washington. March 3.-Two interest
ing and significant communications
were received at the navy department
from the European station. One was
from Rear Admiral A S. Crownin-
shield. commanding the European
squadron. asking to be placed on the
retired list of the navy under the pro-
visions OF the personnel law. The other
was from Lieutenant Henry H. Ward.
naval secretary to Admiral Crownin-
shield, resigning his commission in the
navy.
Prompt action was taken by Secre-
tary Moody in regard to the case OF
Rear Admiral Crowninshield, 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 win
undoubtedly be granted.
His Head Swelled.
Rear Admiral Charles S. Cotton,
commandant of the navy yard at Nor
folk. Va, was assigned TO the COM
mand of the European squadron and
will Telinquish his present duty at once
and start for Europe as soon as he can
arrange his official and private affairs,
The European squadron is composed Of
the cruiser Chicago (nagside). the pro-
tected cruisers Albany and Cincinnati.
the cruiser Raleigh and the gunboat
Machias. The navy department con-
tented itself at first with the brief
statement of the admiraIs application
for retirement without explanation Of
the reason therefor. IL is known. how
ever, that the officer was dissatisfied
with the Encouragement Of the armored
squadrOns following the Caribbean
maneuvers last year. which deprived
him of the further use Of the Illinois
as a flagship. The circumstances un-
der 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.
Dewey's Plan.
The general board, of which Admiral
Dewey is head, had decided upon the
creation Of a magnificent squadron of
irOnclads Of the first type to cOnsti-
tute the home squadron" guarding the
Atlantic and gulf coasts as the IA
nous British channel squadron" forms
a wall of defense in that country. 1t
was decided by the board, in order 10
make this fleet of the necessary
strength to serve the purpose. TO
include the Illinois. Moreover, such
battieships are neither effective nor
economical as cruisers and the Illinois
was doing that sort Of duty in Eu-
rope. So, carrying out its general pol
icy and without regard to personal feel
ings the navy department assigned Adj
miral Crowninshield to command the
Chicago and kept the Illinois on the
North Atlantic station.
The Chicago while a very serviceable /
cruiser, and a fine vessel Of ten years
ago, is nothing like as Imposing from
a naval point of view as the Illinois.
and Admiral CroWninshield did not
care to go back to. thes Mediterranean
and 70 the ports OF uotthern Europe.
where his flag had hoated over the
battleship, I'm an inferior craft, so he
protested. That protest was made dur
ing the maneuvers and il was given
due consideration. but the original plan
held.
Admiral CrOWninshield is now No 20
on the list of rear admirals and his re-
tirement win place him in the first
grade, where his retired pay viii be
S5,625 per annum.