Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-03-07
scALeY.sAmpsoM CONTROVERSY.
S 'cretary Long Gives the Senate Valuable
Information on the Subject.

Sampson -Schley controversy, :. this
communication being in reply to Ad-
miral Schley's letter. The first matter
which the secretary takes up is Ad-
miral Schleys mention of Admiral
SIMPSONS letter of May 20, which, the
secretary says, seems to have given
certain senators the impression that
the department had withheld that let
ter upon this point. He says:
First. that this letter was not in the
possession of the department, Feb. 6.
nor was it's existence known to the
department at that time.
Second, that it was in the possession
of Admiral Schley. until Feb. 3. when it
was sent to the department upon it's
request to be furnished with all Of
fetal records relating to his duty as
COMMUNICATIVE of the Flying
Squadron, and as a flag officer in the
North Atlantic fleet
Third, that it's instructions with re-
gard to maintaining the blockade of
Cienfuegos it was not more explicit
than the letter of Admiral Sampson of
May 10, which accompanied the COM
munication of the department of Feb.
6 and which is published in the appen-
dix to the report of the bureau of nav
igation on page 4Si.
Fourth, that, May 81. the day after
it was written Admiral Sampson sent
orders to Commodore Schley in dupli-
cate by the Hawk and Marblehead
which orders were received by Commo-
dore Schley during the early forenoon
of the 23rd and oath respectively de-
recting Commodore Schley to proceed
~;ith all dispatch but cautiously, to
Santiago, if satisfied that the Spanish
squardon was not at Cienfuegos. The
set of these orders sent by the Hawk
was received on the same day as the
letter of the Goth and bearing the latter
date, May q, of course revoked the
instructions to blockade Cienfuegos.
contained in the letters of the 10Th and
Goth.
Fifth, that in obeyence to these in
structions the Flying Squadron left
Cienfuegos on the afternoon of the oath,
but did not reach the immediate vicin-
ity of the port of Santiago until the
morning of the 29th of May.
The secretary quotes the admirafs
reference to the departments order re-
ceived by him on the 9th of May di
recting him to positively ascertain if
Cervera's fleet was in Santiago harbor
and not to allow him to leave Santiago
if found certainly there. without a
decisive action" gives the admiral,s re-
ply in full and says: 1T will be seen
that Rear Admiral Schley's statement
to the Senate does not show that he
started to return to Key West and sig
nailed to the squadron to that effect
and ca informed tho dana vtropf and IL
might be inferred that he Immediately
obeyed that order and ascertained the
presence of the enemy at Santiago.
On the contrary. his telegram above,
dated May 2S, and written May q,
shows that, though having just receiv-
ed the telegram of the department and
having on hand sufficient supply of
| coal to return to Key West, he report
| ed that he could not obey the order and
continued to proceed towards Key
West. However. it later became evil
dent to him that this was unnecessary
and he resumed the movement toward
| Santiago eA
Another point Admiral Schley's let
| ter is touched upon in the following
manner: admiral Schley's mention of
the signal by Admiral Sampson at Sac
| A. NJ. July 3d-'Disregard movements
| of the commander-in-ch in chief-and his
| mention of the movement of the com
| mander- lin chief toward Siboney, is fol
lowed by an incorrect inference, to wit:
This left me senior officer present and
necessarily clothed me with the re-
sponsibilities of command"
The signal above mentioned is one
which Is frequently made in squadron
| and is never held as in any sense re-
| linquishment of command. 1t is made
| where, for any reason, the flagship
leaves it's assigned position in forma-
| ton as was the case when the New
York left her habitual blockading sta
| ton on the morning of July 3. At such
| times it is made to avoid confusion
| which would result il other vessels fix
| ing the positions by reference to the
flagship were to move with her. With
out further signal, the responsibility
| Of command would not be shifted until
the senior officer had gone out of sig
| nal distance
| The statement. concludes with the
| following: '.The department furnishes
the foregoing statement only to COM
| plete the record In compliance with the
request Of the Senate of Jan. %. De-
| string to do Admirals Sampson and
Schley full justice for services rendred,
| it has. after full consideration Of all
the circumstances. recommended to the
President their promotion to the grade
of rear admiral and begs to express the
hope that his recommendations to the
same effect may be confirmed by the
Senate"
Annexed to the letter from the secre-
tary is one from Capt. Sigsbee. In re-
ply to Admiral schley's reference to
himself as commander OF the scout
steamer St. Paul, quoting him as au-
tbority for the opinion that Cervera's
fleet was not in Santiago harbor. On
this point sigsbee says: what ac-
| tuallv said to the admiral was that
pilot Nunez had first expressed be-
lief that such large vessels as Cervera's
cruisers could not get into Santiago
because of their length, but ne after
wards admitted that they might get in
with the aid of tugs. Every
otf,car an board the st. Paul knew that