The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-23
Touches on The AdmiraTS Enatie Move
ments With Filing Squadron
MADE THE ONLY RETREAT OF THE WAR
Ctmme1 Serious Error Which Y vould Fave Been
SuifIcI.n Ground for Relieving him Of Ms
Command or for Proceedings Against Him.


Long recently addressed a note totna,
president IN regard to the attitude OF
the navy department toward Rear Ad-
milnl w. 5. Schley, whose friends have
been charging the persecution Of that
officer The note is as follows:
Mr.. President-Senator McComas
tells me that a gentleman from Balti-
more has expressed i'm a telegram To
him desire 20 have an interview with
you In order 20 discuss what Is called
the persecution OF Admiral Schley'
think this refers 10 persecution on the
part OF the navy department., II such
ls the case | wish To state Nthat thls
charge is absolutely without founda-
tion. and 50 utterly contrary TO the dc-
tual facts that | should be glad 10 be
present when this charge is raised, IN
order that I may be able 10 explain the
true facts In the matter.
The navy department has from the
very beginning been especially conSd-
crate OF the officer referred TO. When
the flying squadron was formed the de-
partmenc assigned 10 him the COM
mdnd OF the same. although Commo-
dorc Schley stood at the foot OF the
list of commodores. You Will remcm
ber that you yourself were inclined 60
demur to the choice when | mentionel
his name. This appointment gave him
command which was especially de-
sirable. and on which any one of his
seniors would have congratulated him.
self. He expressed particular satisfac-
tion 10 me when l notified him of the
appointment. accepted " readily. and
manifested pleasure at the prospect OF
this service i'm The Atlantic waters un-
der TfTC- -COmmander-in-ch
\ GOOD CHANCE GIVEN.
when the Spanish feet under Ger
Nera's command threatened our coasts,
Commodore Schiey WAS given an op-
portunity 60 so i'm search OF the enemy
with the hying squadron. And here
again the department. gave him one OF
the best chances during the war, ana
until June l. when the cOmmander-in-
chief took charge. ne had an entirely
independent command. You know of
course. that during that period of MS
independent command his conduct was
satisfactory neither to YOU nor the de-
partment. lie did not succeed i'm ascer-
tanning whether or not CerVera WAS
at CienfuegOs although he had sew
eral days in which 10 establish the fact
that the Spanish feet Was not there.
n was cant. McCalla. who had sub
scquentiy ioined him. who ascertained
this fact, immediately and without any
-Ircuhle--In- -hlzL subsequent run 10 san
tagJ and his extremely unfortunate
and unnecessary retreating maneuver.
when h was only twenty miles distant
from the latter harbor. Commodore
Schley ignored existing instructions in
an uniustihab'e manner. In addition
20 this. there is his cruise toward Key
West. Occupying one or two days. ana
his assertion that nc was short Of coal.
while the reports show that all his
ships had a coal supply sufficient for
from. 81 " TO twelve davs. II there was
enou~h coal on hand To steam back loo
miles 10 Key West there must hav"
been sufficient supDiv Of coal ~ go 20
Santiago. which is further shown a.
the fact hat he changed his mind once
more this time for the better. by go-
ing to Santiago after all.
\ SERIOUS ERROR.
"All these faces show that he-and
x seems 70 me he ought to have reCOg-
nized II by this time-has committed a
serious error, which. If the fun facts
had been known at that time, would no
doubt have been considered sufficient
ground for relieving him OF his com
nand or even proceeding against him
IN a disciplinary manner. You VIII re-
UTpTTTtT7T VtT1t vUu were much troubled
ard grieVed when ypIi received the
news W his rctre3ung roneuvey, which
WIS the nly one on The part ot che
navy during The war Bat AS CImUn-
-dOfa SChlev's indepe1dC0T command eE-
pred about that time, and month
ltteT tho l1ttlp NJ santiago, n Noltn
he took part was fought and giori-
ous viol1ry won the department ccIt
sidsrCd dgciplin3ry pre-, euirE7 uu-
necessary. Tho department the;c,orn
recommended the pr 1metion of AN The
commanding officers who had taken
part I'm the battle and YOU acted 90 tte
promotion. subject O. subsequent con-
hrWation bv The senGtc The first pr'-
mc.ion was intended fo. the command
cr-in-ch.ef. the second for Commodore
SChley: etc.
NO PERSECUTION
"UTp to that time 70 could hardly be
said that there was any persecution,
hut rather q very corsderate course
OF act,cn on the part OF the navy de-
partment. Since then the navy de-
paetmcnt has tax no action iu this
matter nor expressed any opinion ex-
ccot on the following occasions.
IT rst. When iu February last. the
senate csllcd for reports on Admiral
= Aley's C1sc. These were conuilcI
from official reports ana furnished as
requested IN orde that M errors or
800 Reward, 800.
The readers of this paper will bo
rlcased to learn that there Is AT leaSt