The Forrest City times., 1898-10-21
After Schley Again.

.,hings from the big building al
Washington, says tho Atlanta Con.
sti,ution, are again turning their
attention TO Admiral Schley. APP
parently, somebody is fearful lest
,hss gentleman, whose sin is that
go tot OF the bureaucracy, will
b gwen some credit for the part
lie played in the famous naval bat
,le off Santiago, and in order that
This may be prevented, work is be-
ing done On two lines.
First, board appointed by the
secretary of the navy has been al
work determining the position OF
The different ships in that battle
We have had what purported to
be summary of the report o.
that board, and while it has been
denied that this IS the exact report
there is circumstan evidenc,
lending to show that the summar,
does not do injustice TO the views
OF the members of the board.
If the report is, however, a,
represented, there will be ample
reason TO expect it TO be regarded
ms another evidence of conspirac,
against Schley. II is not so mucl,
What the report says as what i,
Goes not say. Admiral Schley ano
the officers Of the Brooklyn will
rot object to the exact position OF
that ship IN the big battle being
known, and certainly to those ia,
miliar with naval warfare the fac,
that the Brooklyn was two mile,
from her opponents while some OF
the others were nearer, will not
OF course, detract from the import
ance of the part she played. Per
haps il ought TO be explained 70,
the benefit of the landlubbers tina
ship may be two miles away
from the enemy and yet be very
much more in fight than another
which is half mile closer, boll
OF them being far within the rang,
OF all the enemy's guns.
Technically, Schley was in com
mand of that fleet, and it hap
pened that the Brooklyn was also
very much in the thick of the ighl.
she having been selected as {.
special target by the Spanish fl eet
II there is TO be report, the fac
of this technical command shoulo
not be overlooked. 1t makes II,
difference it the fight was fought
on Simpsons plans. 1t probably
was, for he had been in command
during the days of watching anc
waiting and would have been I.
very careless officer had he no.
prepared plans to meet every
emergency.
Nobody has sought to take from
Sampson any Of the credit for the
part he really did play, but there
has been, and there is, a natural
resentment at what is considered
his effort to take to himself all tn,
credit and to ignore entirely tn.
fact that during his absence Ad
miral Schley was in technical com
mand. It's this effort to monopo.
lie the credit and to ignore alto
gether the man who had command
during his enforced absence, thai
the people of the country have re.
sented and DO resent.
And then, also, it is charged tha,
Scbiey made Il mistake in thipkin o
the flee, was at Cienfuegus when
II was at Santiago, and this Is be
ing held up against him. While
this is not particularly important.
II is worth noting as showing the
continued effort of some of those
on top IN the navy department to
work against some who do moi
happen TO be favorites of theirs.
II is, in short, all of a piece.
That there should be these jealous
les on the part of the non com bat.
ants to mar the magnificent work
done by the men who did the
lighting is unfortunate. 1t is par
ucularly unfortunate at this time
when congress is to be called upor
10 right certain wrongs unde,