Evening star., 1898-06-06
REWARDING DEWEY'S CAPTAINS.
General Satisfaction at the Action s1
the President.

UeneraI satisfaction at the Action O1
the President.
The Presidents action in advancing the
officers who achieved the famous victory
at Manila gives almost universal satisfac-
tion to the ank and file of the navy. The
only exceptions are the few officers on
shore duty who have been Jumped" AS
a general proposition it is agreed by all
disinterested naval men that officers who
have risked their lives in an actual engage
ment with the enemy are entitled to con-
sideration before other men in the service
stationed in places of safety regardless of
the value or extent of the service per-
formed by the latter. This principle has
been regarded by Congress and the execu-
tive in the case of Admiral Dewey and his
brave associates on the Asiatic station and
will undoubtedly be followed in the case Of
Naval Constructor Hobson and the seven
courageous enlisted men who accompanied
him in his perilous and highly successful
expedition in the harbor of Santiago.
The friends of Captain Sigsbee are some
what chagrined over the discovery that
without any intention of working him an
injustice he has been Jumped in his
standing on the naval list by his juniors
in consequence of the Presidents recon-
mendation that the commanders of the
American warships in the battle of Manila
be advanced several numbers. They are
thoroughly confide mt that this substantial
injury threatens to be inflicted entirely
through inadvertence, and that the Of
ficials will take steps to remedy the matter
now that their attention is directed to it.
1t is possible that the easiest way to ac-
complish this would be to include Captain
Sigsbee himself in the list of officers to
be advanced in recognition of the splendid
manner in which he acquitted himself after
the blowing up of the Maine.
Capt Wildes, who commanded the cruiser
Bos tor at Manila, and who was the senior
captain IN that engagement, has been ad-
vanced five numbers, carrying him over
the heads of Capts Glass, commanding the
Monterey; Cooper, superintendent of the
Naval Academy; Taylor, commanding the
Indiana: Wadleigh, mmanding the Bos-
ton navy yard and Crowninshield, chief of
the bureau of navigation, and putting him
on the list just below Capt. Evans, COM
manding the battle ship Iowa. 1t was only
i'll justice to the special services of the
last named officer that Capt. Wildes was
advanced only five numbers. Capt. Dyer,
who commanded the Baltimore, was ad-
vanced seven numbers. and Capt. Coghlan
Raleigh and Olympia. respectively, were
each advanced six numbers, at the sacri-
fee of Capts. Harrington, Ludlow, Cook.
Chester. Clark, Barclay, Sigsbee, Leary
and Whiting all of whom hold importan.
commands afioat. Dyer is the only one of
the three vino jumped Sigsbee of the
Maine Coghlan and Gridley being senior to
the officer. Capt. Lamberton, who was
Deweys chief of staff, wes advanced seven
numbers, pl tting him ahead of such we'll
known officers as Capt. o Neil, chief of the
bureau of ordnance, and Capts. Whiting,
Goodrich and Chadwick and Commanders
Jewell and Folger.
Commander Wood of the Petrol and Com
mander Walker of the Concord received
the largest advance however, ten and nIna
numbers, respectively. They are both
rather low down in their grade at present.
Statute sanctions this method of reward
ing merltorious services, and it was Gus
tCmary during the civil war. That it was
not over-done in the case of the officers Of
the Manila squadron is shown by the fact
that while the statutes authorize an ad-
Vancement of thirty numbers, none of the
officers in question was advanced more
than ten numbers. Many of the officers
who were Jumped by these advancements
are now in command of warships and may
yet render service which will cause their
promotion, but there is no such prospect in
store for the officers performing safe, al
though important, duties at the Navy De-,
partment or other shore stations
Ihese officers are also deprived of the
chance of adding to their fortunes by the
seizure of przes-so it is no wonder that
mcst of them prefer the more dangerous,
but more profitable, assignments atioat