The times., 1898-07-20
.A CABINET DISTURBANCE
Trouble Between Army and Navy
Over Surrendered Ships.
SIMPSONS GREEDY GAME
AIger and Long Differ, But Are
PRcided by GriEEs-When There
L. Joint Capture Only the Gov
ernment Gets the Benefit-Ayarice
Finally FOiled

For a short few minutes OF the Cabinet
meeting yesterday there were possibilities
of a rupture between the War and Navy
Departments over the questions arising
out Of the Santiago campaign.
Secretary Long believed that the four
teen small Spanish ships found in the
harbor Of Santiago when the city surren-
dered should be prizes to the navy. Sec
retary 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 a small way since the landing
Of the marines at Guantanamo threaten
ed to all accumulate in the three short
minutes of the discussion.
Attorney General Griggs was the peace
maker.
Neither of you may have the ships"
he said. The Supreme Court has render
ed decision on the very point. When
there is a joint capture Of ships by army
and navy. or when the army alone cap
lures them they are not TO be considered
prizes. Nobody gets any prize money"
Attorney General Griggs was right, and
the trouble subsided The ships viii Of
course belong 10 the navy If they are con-
sidered worth keeping by the Govern
ment Otherwise they will be sold and
the Government alone will profit Secre
tary Long will have them brought
north, and they viii be looked over by
one of his experts.
The friction between the army under
Gen. Shafter and the fleet under Commo-
dore Sampson, and, in miIder
way, between the War and Navy
Departments here. has been talked
about for several weeks. 1t has
existed. but it has not been seri-
Gus. When the marines landed al Guam
tanamo and fought their battles for sey-
eral 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
marines ought never TO have landed, and
that when they did and found them
selves outumbered by the enemy they
should have been withdrawn by Commo-
dore Sampson. 1t was added also that
the delay Of the army was unavoidable
Later the difficulty continued, when
Commodore Sampson did not force the
harbOr Of Santiago and cooperate with
Gen. Shafter. Shafter is said TO have de-
ciared that Sampson must enter. and
Sampson is said to have answered that
he would not.
Sampson stayed outside and battered al
the forts, and finally he began to send
shells into the town. with what success
has never been fully disclosed in the dis.
patches. Commodore Schley's SQUADRON
captured and destroyed Cervera. The city
was blockaded and no relief was allowed
10 enter by the sea. These were the navy
claims toward the victory.
The army, on the other hand. contend
ed that Toral and the city had unques-
tionably surrendered to ii and not in any
sense 10 the navy.
The outward indications of this differ
ence of opinion have been slight and de-
suitory, seemingly inconsequential. but
ihey have all indicated the existence of
an unfortunate lack of harmony.
Zen. Miles neglected to mention Conn
modore Sampson when he sent his teIe
gram 10 Secretary Alger mentioning the
great success that Gen. Smarter had won.
secretary Alger is known to have
spoken of the naval commander as Com
1nOdore sampson thereby following the
custom of The Times and of most peonIe
VINO are familiar with the circumstances
OF the Schley persecution.