The times., 1898-07-06
NOT SIMPSONS VICTORY
Adverse Comment on the Official
Report of the Battle.
CABINET OFFICERS CRITICISM
Dissatisfaction Over the Failure to
Mention schIey in Reports Is
Growing i'm Every Quarter-Mr.
Berry Introduces u Resolution in
Congress.

Congressman Berry of Kenucky intro
duced in the House yesterday afternoon
5oint resolution in recognition Of Com
modore Schleys gallant conduct at San
tiago. The resolution tenders the thanks
of Congress and the American D ople 10
Commodore Schley "for his heroic and
distinguished conduct in destroying the
Spanish feet in Cuban waters on the Sd
of July last"
The Times yesterday published eXclu-
siyely the story Of the great dissatLsfac-
tiOn in many quarters over the way that
Commodore Schley was ignored in the Of
ticial dispatches telling of the capture
and destruction of Csrvera, when in real
ity the entire honor as commander is due
TO him.
The feeling is growing. The resolutions
introduced by Representative Berry are
the direct outcome Of it. 1t is said that
similar action is likely in the Senate.
As the facts become known to the gen.
eral public, also, there is general com
ment of an even more outspoken nature
than any that is likely to be made in Con-
gress.
When the Spanish ships emerged from
the harbor Of Santiago Admiral Sampson
was IN conference with Gen. Shafter at
SibOney. Commodore Schley Immediately
assumed command on the American side
and his ship, the Brooklyn, was in the
fight from the beginning. After all the
Spanish ships except the Cristobal Colon
had been sunk Admiral Sampson arrived
from Siboney IN time TO join the dash
after her and participated in her capture
Admiral Sampson went then immedi-
ately TO the telegraph station and flashed
his report. The time this dispatch was
filed is not disclosed at the departments,
but the assertion is made by some who
claim 10 have seen It that it was FLED
within two hours after the Crlstobal
Colon was captured forty miles away
from the cable Office.
The dispatch filed by Admiral Sampson
after this quick dash TO the telegraph Of
1ce begins as follows:
The feet under my command offers the
nation as a Fourth of July present the
destruction of the entire Spanish fleet. %
Then follows the brief Official account
Of the fight. II mentions the names OF
the Spanish ships. but not those of the
American vessels that took part in the
engagement. The account of the en-
gagement later sent by Commodore Wat
son does mention the American ships
The Brooklyn is first on the list.
The comments on these dispatches are
varied. One of the unfriendly comments
Is that the use Of the words the fee,
under my command is directly mislead-
ing and directly unfair TO Commod ore
Schley. There are two possible and easy
meanings to the words. and one of then
fa# h.
mand Of Admiral Sampson did the fight
ing. The other is that the fleet Of which
Sampson is commander is responsible fol
the victory 1t is charged by many tha
Admiral Sampson Intentionally made thi
construction Of his message ambiguous
AT any rate, Commodore Schley is no
mentioned IN the message. and '-Samp
sons feet" is.
Another suggestion is that the omisioI
OF the names Of the American ships wa:
intentional. The American ships hap
pen TO be exactly those in the squadron
Of Commodore Schley ana not those il
the Quadron directly under Admira
Sampson.
There is no intimation anywhere in tn,
department. or among the congressmeI
who have taken up the matter. that Ad
miral Sampson was in any way remiss il
his duty in not being in the fight. Tha
was one Of the fortunes of war. Schley
happened TO be where the fighting wa!
and Sampson 10 be in conference with
Gen. Shafter. The entire criticism is tina
Sampson seems to have INTENTIONAL.
sighted Schley in his dispatches and al
lowed the public to believe that he him
self was the winner Of the glorious vic
tory.
The friends Of Sampson IN the Navy
Department make the explanation tina
in the first brief official report of a bat
tie. 1t is not customary to go into de
tails. They predict that in his extende,
report Sampson viii give CommOdOr
Schley full credit. There are many Off
GERS in the Navy Department who belieY
Admiral Sampson one Of the best officer
ia the Navy. They say that such pueril
meanness as he is accused of is entirel
foreign TO his character.
This incident is recalling to the mind
Of many the unpleasant feeling that ex
listed between the friends of Sampson an
Schley when Admiral Sampson was ser
to Santiago and thus became the CON
mander Of the combined squadr0ns. Com
modore Schley has been longer in the sci
vice than Admiral Sampson and was
grade above him in rank before SamI
sons elevation to the acting rank Of ad
miral- The friends of Commodore Schie
I'm the Navy Department were very muc
hurt by the action of the department
ADFoN1'-b e'~h1PSoA ali0 biieA putting hii
In position where he would be directl
In command over Schley. They believe
that a great injustice was done Commt
dore Schley. The Times wrote the stor
of the disagreement at the time
II is learned that a slight difference
opinion has arisen in the Cabinet owe
the sighting Of Commodore Schle,
Some members OF the Cabinet hay
expressed their dissatisfaction
congressman and to newspaper me
since the battle, and il is understood ths
they have made similar comments
the Cabinet sessions and special confe
ences.
One Cabinet officer, who is with II
extremists. said to a newspaper man:
The whole treatment of Schley an
Sampson since the beginning of the war
the doing Of the Navy clique. than whiC
there is nothing more pestilential in II