The times., 1898-08-08

II is due as we'll to the ethics Of a
noble profession as to the truth of his
tory to say that, in publishing a spsc al
plea in favor of the groundless con-
tentiCu that Commodore Sampson
entitled to the chief credit for Com1s-o-
dore Schley's victory over Admiral Ger
vera, Capt. Arthur T. Mahan tretirei)
has committed an offense against gco1
taste and the canons of fair play which
VIII go long way in the direction OF
injuring his hitherto splendid reputa-
tion in the eyes of the unprejud!ced
naval world, and of the American peo-
pie Coming from an ordinary. every
day political bureaucrat, such a spe-
cious argument as Capt. Mahan per-
mits himself to be guilty Of would be
taken as matter of course Emanat-
ing from his pen, il is impossible to es-
cape the impression that he has allow
ed his respected personality 70 be used
in furthering an unclean scheme of n
justice to one of the country's heroes,
and of outrage upon the United States
Navy.
The very first effect of Capt. Ma
hans gratuitous essay upon the honest
reader. in the nature of things, is to ex-
cite a feeling of sorrowful regret that
one who has made such a brill ant
mark in the literature of his service
should lend himself to a cause which
must be weak and unworthy one to
be advocated with the puerility and
inacuracy of the letter under consid-
Grafton. Its argument is intrinsically
nonsensical, and if it were not ad-
vanced by a person Of standing, and
formerly of professional authority, it
would be entitled only to the review
which the waste basket grants. In
memory of the respect we once felt for
the eminent writer on naval warfare,
We wish that the document originally
could have been<sent to that bourne
from which no manuscript returns. To
treat its text as truth and equity de-
mand must produce too much the sem
sation of kicking a fallen idol.
The Mahan theory of the victory of
July third is the Sampson theory with
out change Like the absentee claim
ant his champion rests the case upon
the assumption that the battle was
fought and won under tactical condi-
tions ara as result of movements
which had been prearranged and pre-
determined by Commodore Sampson
weeks before the event. Capt. Ma
han goes somewhat further than his
client did in his second, i. e., his ex-
purgated report" published by the
Department. He claims for Sampson
that the great factor in the victory
was the divine genius displayed by the
hero of Matanzas, in ordering the fleet
to keep close inshcre at night and to
use its searchlights to prevent Ger
vera from resorting TO sneak in the
dark. This feature of Commodore
Simpsons Nelsonian strategy, accord
ing to Mahan, so impressed the Span
ish captain of the Colon that he men,
toned il, Whereupon we are told that,
if the important facts are as stated,
the merit of this, forcing the enemy to
action under disadvantageous condi-
tions-and it Is one of the highest
dCfllSbGitltillS VI dIt-bttDIsS
to the commander-in-chief 1t was the
great decisive feature of the cam
paign, from start to finish. Few naval
authorities, imagine" owlishly OBJ
serves the reviewing strategist, will
dispute this statement"
Capt. Mahan is mistaken on one
point. We know of more than a few
officers of distinction who, while rhey
might not be classed by the Samp-
sCnian essayist as authorities" are so
regarded in the navy and by the ma
ton, who do dispute it. Taken in con-
nection with the admitted facts it re-
flutes itself Observe the sophistry OF
the contention: Cervera was inside the
harbor, and obviously liable to cut and
run at the most favorable opportunity,
which would be at night, other things
being equal. Our fleet was outside and
provided with searchlights Because
the warship captains We're admonished