Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-08-16
Promotions.

war with Spain has caused more or
less confusion in the public mind and
have the promotion OF |
Sampson and Schley caused a great |
deal of talk.
Their promotion comes as a direct
result for the generalship and bravery
in bottling up Cervera's fleet in San
tiago Bay on July 8.
The circumstances which lead up to
this event and those lowering over it
at the time of the engagement have
been the subject of many newspaper
editorials and has been much talked
over. The Leader from time to time
has had something to say in regard to
whom the credit was due and now that
Sampson has been raised from a cap
tain, over the head of Commodore
Schley and placed one point above
him as Rear Admiral, it seems that an
explanation should be made to the
public.
Now that peace has been declared
and the Cuban squadron has been Or
dered north few questions as to why
this was done might be in order.
The first, and perhaps the most in
teresting-Why, and on what grounds
was Sampson placed above Schley?
On July Sampson was made a
Commodore, Schley having already
reached that rank, thus making, on
Aug. 10, these two sea generals stand
as follows: Schley being No. in the
commodore grade, and Sampson No.
10. Schley was raised only 6 points,
which made him just within the Rear
Admiral rank, and his friends claim
he ought to have gotten the place-No.
S-or next to Admiral Howell. But
the President promoted Sampson, who
was Commodore No. 10, s points. Two
commodores, Howell and Schley, 60
ing up ahead of him, raised Sampson
from No. 10 on the commodore list to
No. on the Rear Admiral list, or just
one point above Schley
1t has been shown, however, that
Sampson is the protege of Secretary
| Long and not of President Mckinley.
Secretary Long has carried his admir-
| alton for Sampson to point where
reason ceases and hypnotism would
seem the only explanation.
The argument, and a ridiculous one,
which SIMPSONS friends put up as
grounds for giving him all the honor,
is the assertion that he, as acting
Rear Admiral, although was absent,
the destruction of Cervera's fleet was
entirely due to his (Sampson's) bril-
liant plan of blockade.
The rats escaped from the cage, but
the watchful sea dog (Schley) eat
them up. Where is the strategic
plan?
But let us admit that SIMPSONS
conduct of the naval campaign has
been brilliant; that it was impossible
for his scouts to give notice of the ar
rival of the Cape Verde fleet; that his
| bombardment of San Juan, when he
knew or ought to have known, that
the Spanish fleet was not in the harbor
was justifiable; that on the Sd of July
it was owing to his placing each ship
just so many yards from the land that
Cervera met defeat and, finally, that
his reports were models of modesty
and justice, is there still any reason
for advancing Sampson more points
than Schley?
While the friends of Commodore
Schley throughout the whole land are
demanding that he be placed ahead of
Sampson, every naval officer from en-
sign up, are of the opinion that the
promotions are just and according to
naval discipline. They claim that if
the commander of the fleet is not rec
ognized, as he has been, the precedent
will be harmful to naval order, and
they are advising the friends of both
omcers not to rage controversy in
the Senate.
OF the nine Rear Admirals now on
the list four of them will retire before
Jan, list, and by that time Admiral
Dewey will be Acting Rear Admiral
OF the United States navy. Admiral
Sicard, Admiral Miller, Admiral Mat
thews and Admiral Bunce all retire at
various times from now to December
80, and as each one retires the rear
admirals under him will be promoted
in grade, and as Rear Admiral Dewey
now ranks fifth, he will be, as stated,
the Ranking Rear Admiral. Then will
come ------ral McNair, Admiral How
ell, Admiral Sampson and Admiral
Schley, while Commodores Howison,
kautz, Remey and Admiral Phillips
will be promoted to the rear admiral
grade in the regular order.