The Washington herald., 1911-04-18

New York, April H.AThere are two
blue pennants with white stars flying at
the Brooklyn Navy Yard One be-
longs to Rear Admiral E. H. c. Leutze.
commandant of the yard, and the other
to Rear Admiral Seaton Schroeder. COM
mander-in-chief Of the North Atlantic
Squadron
The two little pieces Of cloth, futtering
gayiy In the breeze. present an appear
ance or peace and amicable tranquility,
which Is utterly at variance with the
little controversy about diplomacy and
naval etiquette which. it is reported. came
for while between their official owners.
The story Is that Rear Admiral Leutze
was not pleased that the flag was dis
played by Rear Admiral Schroeder.
L am your senior and you have no
right to fly a blue pennant while I am
flying one, Rear Admiral Leutze, Ia al
legged to have declared
But Rear Admiral Schroeder took q
different view of 1t, II is alleged, and
when the flag continued to fly from the
Connecticut. his flagship. some gossip re-
suited.
The Connecticut had come to the Brook
lyn Navy Yard for some minor repairs,
and the mounting of new 1+inch guns.
The officers in the yard thought that
Rear Admiral Schroeder would haul
down the blue pennant with its two
stars, denoting that he was the senior
rear admiral, and substitute the red pen
nant of a junior rear admiral, in defer
ence to the blue pennant Of Rear Admiral
Leutze, which was flying from the re-
ceiving ship Hancock
Rank Il Problem.
This belief on the part Of the yard
officers was predicated on the fact that
Rear Admiral Leutze had attained his
rank some years before Rear Admiral
Schroeder. and, in fact, had been placed
on the retired list until he was put back
on active duty by being detailed as COM
mandant Of the navy yard Under these
circumstances they figure that Rear Ad-
miral Leutze was the senior officer Of
that rank.
But apparently Rear Admiral schroe-
der had a different view on the sub
ject. He kept his blue pennant flying
on the Connecticut The sight Of that
blue pennant got on Rear Admiral
Leutze's nerves the first day. He board
ed the Connecticut, and. according to the
story current IN the navy yard, made
personal demand upon Rear Admiral
Schroeder that the red pennant Of a Jun
Tor be substituted for the blue pennant
which was gayly flying from the forepeak
OF the battle ship.
Rear Admiral Schroeder met the de-
mand of the commandant Of the navy
yard with a courteous refusal. The re-
fusal was a tacit claim by Rear Admiral
Schroeder that he did not regard himself
as a Junior In rank to Rear Admiral
Leutze.
I'll appeal to the department at
Washington" announced Rear Admiral
Leutze, it is said.
What you do does not interest me IN
the slightest" was the alleged reply Of
Schroeder.
Reports Difficulty.
Rear Admiral Leutze kept his promise,
and communicated the facts Of the con-
troversy to Washington.
The Navy Department exercised the
wisdom Of Solomon in deciding the dis
pute. The reply sent to Rear Admiral
Leutzs was that the department regard
ed him as the senior ranking officer
ashore and Rear Admiral Schroeder as
the senior ranking officer afioat
AS a result the blue pennants Of two
senior ranking officers can be seen by
visitors to the navy yard The blue PEN
nant on the Hancock is that Of Rear Ad-
miral Leutze. short distance away,
on the COnHeCUcut, llyiHs uiuIpiidHliy
in the breeze, as II II were mocktng the
blue pennant on the Hancock, Is the blue
pennant of Rear Admiral Schroeder.
The decision of the department, It Is
understood, established a precedent of
great interest to naval officers. In the
past the senior ranking officer, whether
ashore or afioat, was always recognized.
II the rear admiral commanding the
Brooklyn Navy Yard was junior to the
rear admiral of any flagship which en-
tered the navy yard the commandant al
ways hauled down his blue pennant and
substituted a red one on the receiving