The Atlanta constitution., 1898-08-08
SAMPSON SHOWS SENSITIVE SIDE
Rear Admiral Does Not Like Remark
Attributed to Schley

Washington August 7.-Secretary Long
today requested the publication OF the fol-
lowing correspondence:
UNITED States Flagship New York First
Rate. Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, July Y,
19S-My Dear Mr.. Secretary: / am led
to write at the present time on account
Of the publication of an article which APP
peared in the papers of the 10Th instant in
which Commodore Sc!hley led to
state that he had over and over again
stated 1t was possible to enter the har-
Dor of Santiago notwithstanding the
mines.
Commodore Schley called on me yester-
day and voluntarily stated that the pub
ication of the article on the 18th was false
In every particular; that he not only
stated nothing of the kind, but that he had
never thought of It; that he had always
entirely agreed with me on the question,
and that he did not know a single officer
whose opinion differed from mine. AS L
have reason to believe that Commodore
Schley has been misrepresented, l have
taken the liberty to address to you tele-
gram upon this subject this morning. and
as am about to sail for the east, | trust
1t will receive your attention at an early
date, Very respectfully,
wv. T. SAMPSON,
Rear Admiral United States Navy, Com
mander-in- Chief United States Naval
Force. North Atlantic Station"
ITO the Secretary of the Navy Depart
ment Washington
Wants Authority for Statement.
The telegram referred to is as follows:
playa del Este. via Hayh, July q, 1895,
1:S2 m.-Secretary Navy. Washington:
call departments attention to an AS
sOciated Press dispatch In The New York
Times and Herald of the 18Th, attr!but!ng
to Commodore Schley certain opinions re-
garding mines. 7 request that the mana
ger of the Associated Press be called upon
to name the source and authority for this
statement. SAMPSON"
On receipt of this telegram the depart
ment wrote the following letter to the
Associated Press:
Navy Department. Washington. july
%, 1S9S-Sir: The New York Times and
The New York Herald. Of the 10th instant,
published an Associated Press dispatch
which contained opinions regarding mines,
attributed to Commodore Schiey. This
dispatch is written in such manner as to
convey the impression that it was re-
ceived from your representative with the
squadron off Santiago, and consequently
had been censored by proper naval author
ity / therefore have to request that you
inform this department at your earliest
convenience the source and authority for
the dispatch to which reference is made.
Very respectfully
JOHN d. LONG, Secretary.
''D1r. c. A. Boynton. General Southern
Manager the Associated Press, Post
Building Washington"
Boynton Exonerates Schley.
The reply of the Associated Press is as
follows:
"Washinston. August l. 1Sos.--Hon. John
d. Long, Secretary of the Navy Sir: Your
favor of the 2Sth is at hand concerning ar
ticles published in The New York Times
and New York Herald. of the 18Th in
stant. in which certain opinions in regard
10 mines are attributed to Commodore
Schley
This letter was not written by either of
our representatives with the squadron off
Santiago, but by another gentleman who
was temporarily on one of our dispatch
boats. The dispatch was not subject TO
censorship.
Our Mr., Graham. who has been CON
stantly with Commodore SchlcY since his
squadron assembled at Hampton Roads.
and Is probably more familiar with his
views than any Newspaper man at San
tiago, takes issue with the gentleman who
wrote the letter referred to. and says that
Commodore Schley was always in com
pete accord with Admiral Sampson as to
the question of entering the hurbor. He
quotes Commodore Schley saying:
Admiral Sampson and 1 had always
agreed that 1t would be foolish to enter
the harDor with the mines in place, and
the condition of the mines proved that
Admiral Sampson was correct Very re-
spcCtfully yours,
II