The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-14
SAMPSON AND sCHLEY.
How the Captain Comes to BE in
Command of the Commodore.

HOW the Captain Comes to BE in
Command of the Commodore.
Washington Letter in New York Times
1t seems to be not quite understood how
Admiral Sampson comes to be in com
mand of Commodore Schley. Capt. Crow
ninshield explains it clearly. Before the
war broke out, but when war was believ-
ed to be imminent, the North Atlantic
squadron was at Key West, preparing,
under the command of Admiral Sicard, to
carry out a programme of manoeuvres in
the Gulf of Mexico that had been arrang-
ed in January.
AT a certain moment, and when It was
expected that the fleet would be at once
called upon for duty at Havana, Admiral
Sicard fell ill., A medical survey resulted
In his being ordered to take sick leave
and he left the flagship Capt. Sampson
was at once, under a statute that per-
mits the President to give the command
of fleet to captain; made the flagship
officer, with the rank of admiral
The war came When ii broke out Com
modore Schley, the superior in rank Of
Admiral Sampson, was president of the
lighthouse board. He at once sought sea
duty. His tour on shore was not yet OUT
but officers of experience were needed
a
of the flying squadron, then at Fort Mon
roe. Tt was not considered necessary or
wise to put him in command of the North
Atlantic squadron, as that would have
looked like disapproval of Admiral Samp-
son, when there was no dissatisfaction
with his conduct or management of the
blockading fleet.
Commodore Schley grew weary of the
ideness of the squadron under his com
mand, and desired duty al the scene of
war. At the earliest moment it was
deemed eXpedient to send the flying SQUAD
ron to Cuba it was detached from the pa
troll service and attached to the North At
lantc station as a squadron. The situa-
ton was then provided of the command
by Commodore Sampson of Commodore
Schley and Watson, both officers of real
ly higher rank than Admiral Samson
who is commodore two files below
Schley.
TO displace Commodore Watson.
Schley's superior from the Eastern
squadron, and give that command to
Schiey, would at once provoke the objec-
ton that Commodore Watson had been
knocked down without having been af-
forded a chance to justify his selection for
a most important duty.
So much has been said about the fail
ure TO fully credit Schley and Sampson S
failure to mention his second i'm command
that it is the general opinion that Com
modore Schleys friends will prevent any
attempt to reward Sampson at his ex-
pense. It is almost certain now that nei-
ther will be prompted until both are pro-
noted, and 1t is considered quite improb-
able that the reward to Sampson will
change the relative position on the regis
ter OF Sampson and Schley TO advance
them they must first be mentioned by
name to the Congress and by the Presi-
dent.
name, the President may name each for
a higher place. To make that promotion
good. a majority vote must be obtained.
To avoid conflict in the Senate over con-
frmation, 1t is believed that the President
VIII reward the two officers in the same
manner and that he viii leave Schley
standing IN the register two numbers
ahead Of Sampson.