Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-07-20
ARMY AND NAVY JEALOUSIES.

For a few minutes OF the Cabinet
meeting yesterday there were possibil
| i les of rupture between the War aud
Navy departments over the questions
arising out of the Santiago campaign.
Secretary Long believed that the
fourteen small Spanish vessels found in
the harbor OF Santiago when the city
surrendered should be prizes to the
navy. Secretary Alger was as firmly
convinced that Gen. Skaters army
should have them.
Some bitterness was exhibited by
both gentlemen. Neither desired to
give up his point. The friction that
has undoubtedly existed in small
way since the landing of the marines at
Guantanamo threatened to all accum-
ulate in the three short minutes OF the
| discussion.
Attorney General Griggs was the
peacemaker.
Neither OF you may have the Ships"
he said. "The Supreme Court has rem
dered q decision on the very point
When there is joint capture Of ships
by army and navy, or when the army
alone captures them they are not to be
considered prizes. Nobody gets any
prize money.
Attorney General Griggs was right,
and the trouble subsidized. The ships
will of course belong to the navy if
they are considered worth keeping by
the government. Otherwise they will
be sold, and the government alone will
profit. Secretary Long will have them
brought north, and they will be looked
over by one of mis- experts.
The friction between the army under
Gen. Skater and the fleet under Com
modore Sampson, and, in milder way,
between the War and Navy Depart.
ments, in Washington, has been talked
about for several weeks. 1t has existed,
but it has not been serious. When the
marines landed at Guantanamo and
fought their battles for several days
against great odds the naval officers
blamed the War Department for not
getting the army to southern Cuba soon
enough. The army officers said the ma
rines ought never to have landed, and
that when they did and found them
selves outnumbered by the enemy they
should have been withdrawn by Com
modore Sampson. It was added also
that the delay of the army was unavoid
able.
Later the difficulty continued, when
Commodore Sampson did not force the
harbor of Santiago and cooperate with
Gen. Shafter. Shafter is said to have
declared that Sampson must enter, and
gampson is said TO have answered that
he would not.
Sampson stayed outside and battered
at the forts, and finally he began to
send shells into the town, with what
success has never been fully disclosed
in IN -Sisnatches. Commodore Schley's
squadron captured and destroyed Ger,
vera's fleet. The city was 3.ocSaaeo
and no relief was allowed to enter By
sea. These were the navy claims to-
ward the victory.
The army, on the other hand, con-
tended that Toral and the city had un-
questionably surrendered to it and not
in any sense to the navy.
ue OuIWaTu luulcaliOnS vi luiS uiueI-
ence of opinion have been slight and
de3ultory, seemingly inconsequential,
but they have all indicated the exist
ence of an unfortunate lack of harmony.
Gen. Miles neglected to mention Com
modore Sampson when he sent his tele-
gram to Secretary Alger mentioning
the great success that Gen. Shaftar had
won.
Secretary Alger is known to have
spoken OF the naval commander as
Commodore Sampson" thereby fol-
lowing the custom of most people who
are familiar with the circumstances Of
the Sehley persecution.