The Dickinson press., 1898-09-03

in chief and the second in command.
either or both, been 70 miles away. Il
IL exactly with the feet as with the
single ships. The merit Of each captain
was not only, nor chiefly, that he han
died and fought his ship. admirably on
the day Of battle. His greatest merit
WAS TINT when he took his ship into
action she was SO organized and trained
that had he himself been absent or
struck dead BY the first shot the ship
would none the less have played her
full part efficiently in the fight, under
her second in command.
Few things in the observation Of the
writer have been more painful than the
attempt Of a portion Of the press and Of
the public to rob Sampson Of his Just
and painfully won dues. During the
night hours Of July 80, when there is
strong reason to believe that Cervera,
despite the full moon, wished to come
out. the commander in chief with the
whole Of his force lay close to the har-
boris mouth, and the Spanish attempt
was deferred till day, when it might be
supposed from their usual practice that
the besieging vessels would be- more dis
tant and perhaps off their guard. At
a. M, when day began to break, the
Massachusetts,, commanded by one Of
the most spirited officers in the service,
silently withdrew, to coal at Guanta-
namo, 40 miles away. Half an hour be-
fore the enemy was discovered coming
out, the flagship New York also pro-
ceeded west. In doing this the COM
mander in chief, Admiral Sampson, was
obeying a specific and direct order Of
the navy department. to confer person.
ally with the commander in chief Of
the army. To this was owing that, to
use the words Of SIMPSONS dispatch,
the flagship twas not at any time with
in range of the heavy Spanish ships"
Upon this circumstance, mortifying as
a mere disappointment, that the ship,
though pushed to her utmost speed,
could not retrieve her original disad-
vantage Of position-incurred in obedi-
ence to the orders Of the navy depart
ment-has been raised the shameful
outory, designed to deprive an eminent
officer of the just reward of his tolls.
The injustice is with many doubtless
u~nintentional and unwilling. The same
exouse a scarcely be made for the
charge that the admiral has grudged
praise to his subordinates. Some Wash
ington papers have in this matter been
particularly vicious, and The Post Of
that city, in an editorial of July 81 to
that effect, is guilty, in quoting from
n paragraph of Sampson's dispatch,
Of %suppressing these following words in
the succeeding paragraph: 1.-THE COM
manding officers merit the greatest
praise for the perfect. manner in which
they entered into this plan (of blockade)
and put it into execution. The Massa-
:ohusettsy which, according to routine,
was sent that morning to coal at Guam
tanamo, like the others had spentweary
nights upon this work, and deserved a
better fate than to be absent that morn
ing" +
Again. as regards the action: When
all the work was done 80 we'll, it ID
difficult to discriminate. The object Of
the blockade of Oervera's squadron was
fully accomplished, and each individ-
ual bore we'll his part in 1.-THE COM
modore in command Of the second di-
vision, the captains Of ships, their
officers and men. The fire of the battle
ships was powerful and destructive and
the resistance of the Spanish squadron
vas in great part broken almost before
they had got beyond the range of their
own forts" If higher praise is expect
ed, the only reply that can be made il
that 1t is historically rarely given.
When individual men are named, un-
less some conspicuous and unusual deed
oompelsi it, those passed over feel slight
ed, while IL each who has done his duty
is individually named all distinctive
effect is lost. Those who doubt may, ex.
anime the dispatches of men like Nelson
and Farragut.
It would be improper to conclude
without saying that there is not the
slightest proof that Commodore Sohley
is in the least responsible for the ma.
lioious attempts made to depres Ad.
miralE Sampson with a view to exalt
the second in command. On the con-
trary, when they came to his ears he
t~elegraphed to the navy department. ION
July 10Y his modification ct the
fact, handsomely attributing the vic
tory to the force under the command Of
the commander in chief o&, the north
Atlantic station, "To him the9honor ID
DUE" More than this, there istno occa.
sion for him to say nor need he have
said anything but for the obligation
forced upon him by the indiscreet and
ungenerous clamor Of those posing al
his friends, from whom he might well
pray to be saved.