Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-08-08
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SIMPSONS AND SCHLEY'S
REPORTS.

REPORTS.
While the official reports of the de-
struction of the Spanish fleet by the
United States ships before Santiago
add nothing to the knowledge pos
sessed by the public in regard to this
supremely important event, the re-
ports will be read with especial care
by the public in order to see if there is
any ground for the rumors that have
been circulated relative to an alleged
ill-feeling between Admiral Sampson
and Commodore Schley. Unfortu-
nately, Admiral Sampson dismisse
! the question of merit in such gen
/ eral terms as to give some support to
the charge that the superior officer is
Jealous Of his subordinate, and un
willing to acknowledge Schley's re-
markable energy in emergency. Says
Admiral Sampson: 1.-THE object of the
blockade of Cevera's squadron was
fully accomplished, and each individ-
ual bore we'll his part in it, the COM
division, the captains of ships, their
officers and men,
Except in the sentence. "The re-
ports of Commodore W. S. Schley
and the commanding officers are en-
closed" the name Of the officer who
set the whole feet into action of the
intensest sort, in dhe absence of the
admiral, does not appear in the re-
port. 1t would not have been an un-
heard of thing, most persons will
think, Tor the commander of Ameri-
can feet to go little out of the per-
functory course to speak in common
daLion of the alertness and efficiency
of the officer in charge in bis own alb
sence, especially in view of the fact
that the blockade of Cevera's squad
ron mentioned by him as having its
object fully accomplished was brought
about entirely by Commodore Schely.
The impression one receives fro m
reading Admiral SIMPSONS report is
that while all did their duty, the
directing hand was the hand that
signed his report. From a purely
technical standpoint he is right. The
honor Of the victory belongs to the
man in command, as in case Of the
Spanish fleet escaping, the blame
would have been his; but in view Of
the prominence his immediate sub
ordinate has occupied from first to
last in this matter, and especially of
his own absence at the time Of the at
tempted escape of Cevera, it would at
least have pleased the public had the
services of Commodore Schley re-
ceived a few words of separate recog
milton, and it certainly could in nowise
have injured Admiral Sampson either
with the Administration or in public
estimation. It is we'll, however, in
these days Of exaggerated journalistic
exploitation and advertising that
heroes of the moment should be
moved to expose themselves as they
are, not as we would have them.
In the opening paragraph Of Com
modore Schley's report to Admiral
Sampson, he more modestly mentions
'that portion Of the squadron under
your command which came under nv
observation" The portion" he re-
fers to was the whole fleet except the
New York, the admiral's flag ship
which did not put in an appearance
until the destruction Of the Spanish
fleet was practically accomplished.
The commodore, however, recognizes
that the admiral was in command.
though away, and that he himself was
merely carrying out standing general
instructions. The commodore, how
ever, appears to have considered
what he was saying when he calls at
tention to the fact that the squadron
was under his observation at the time,
and the fact is pressed home in the
sentence. ssI congratulate you most
sincerely upon this great victory ito
the squadron under your command,
and am glad that had an opportun-
ity to contribute in the least to vic
tory that seems big enough for all of
u.s. Whether or not so intended. in
this manly utterance there seems to
TO be feeling that full justice has not
been accorded to him by his superior
officer.