The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-13
ADMIRAL SCHLEY'S
CONDUCT In WAR
SECRETARY LONG BRANDS 1T
AS cULPABLE.
In Letter to the President He Puts
at Rest the Assertion That the
Navy Department Has Prosecuted
Schley and Shows That on the
Contrary It Has Treated Schley far
More Generously Than He Has De-
served.


ter was written at the time Of the WIS.,
1t of Senators McComas and yelling
ton to the president to protest at the
navy departments alleged persecution
of Schley.
"Mr. President: Senator McComus tells
me that a gentleman from Baltimore has
expressed in u telegram to him a desire
to have an interview with you IN order to
discuss What is called The persecution
| OF Admiral Schley.' | think this refers
| TO persecution on the part of the navy de-
| partment. If such is the case | wish TO
| state that his charge is absolutely with
| out foundation, and so utterly contrary
| to the actual facts that should be glad
| to be present when this charge is raised
| In order that l may be able to explain
the true facts in the matter
THE navy department has from the
| very beginning been especially consid-
crate of the officer referred to. When
| the flying squadron was formed the de-
| partment assigned to him the command
| of the same, although Commodore Schlcy
stood at the foot of the list of commo-
| dores. You will remember that you,
| yourself. were inclined TO den,~r to the
| choice when | mentioned his name. This
| appointment gave him command which
| was especially desirable, and on which
| any one of his seniors would have con-
| ElbNuidttu lliiStll' ilt 'NpitS0Vu B''0
ticular satisfaction to me when l noti-
| fled him of the appointment, accepted 1t
| readily, and manifested pleasure at the
| prospect of this service in Atlantic wa
ters under the commander-in-chief.
AN EXCELLENT CHANCE.
when the Spanish fleet under Ger
! vcra's command threatened our coasts,
| Commodore SChley was given an oppor~
| tunity to so in search of the enemy
| with the flying squadron. And here again
| the navy department gave him one of the
best chances during the war, and until
June l, when the commander-in-Chief
| took charge. he had an entirely inda-
pendent command. You know of course.
| that during this period of his independ
| cnt command his conduct was satisfaC-
| tory neither to you nor to the department.
| He did not succeed In asCertaining wheth-
| er or not Cervera was at Cienfuegos, al
| though he had several days In which to
establish the fact that the Spanish fleet
was not there. 1t was Captain McCalla.
who had subsequently, Joined him, who
ascertained this fact. Immediately and
| without any trouble. In his subsequent
run to Santiago and his extremely unfor-
tunate and unnecessary retreatinG man.
oeuvre. when he was only twenty miles
distant from the latter harbor Commo-
dore Schley ignored existing instructions
to this. there is his cruise toward Key
West, occupying one or two days. and his
assertion that he was short of coat
while the reports show that all his shipS
had n coal supply sufficient for from six
to twelve days. If there was enough
on hand to steam back 100 miles to Key
West there must have been sufficient sup
ply Of coal to go to Santiago which is
further shown bv the fact that he
changed his mind once more, this time
for the better, by going to Santiago at
ter all
SERIOUS ERROR.
"All these facts show that he-and it
seems to me he ought to have recognized
it by this time-has committed a serious
error, which, II the full facts had been
known at that time, would, no doubt,
have been considered sufficient ground for
relieving him of his command. or even
proceeding against him In disciplinary
manner. You will remember that you
were much troubled and Grieved wnen
you received the news of his retreating
manoeuvre, which was the only one on
the part of the navy during the war,
But as Commodore Schey's independent
command expired about that time, and n
month later the battle of Santiago, in
which he took part, was fought and a
glorious victory won, the department
considered disciplinary proceedings un-
necessary. The department therefore rec
commended the promotion of all the COM
manding officers who had taken part in
the battle, and you acted on the promo
ton subject to subsequent confirmation
by the senate. The first promotion was
intended for the Commander-in-chief. the
second for Commodore Schley, etc.
up to that time it could hardly be
said that there was any persecution, but
rather very considerate course of aC-
1.VN .T.tnN
Since then the navy department has
taken no action in this matter, nor eX-
: pressed any opinion except on the follow
| ing occasions
, "First-When. in February last. tho
) | senate called for reports on Admlra
r Schley's case. These were compiled from
5 | official reports and furnished as request
| cd. In order that no errors or omls
{ | sions might occur, the department ap
\ | pointed three officers for the purpose o
compiling the same, and associated wit!
s them Admiral Schey's own flag Office
e to attest the accuracy Of the reports.
SCHLEY's SNEAK TRICK.
"Second-When the newspapec contro
{ versy arose, in which the departmen
had no share, as to a conversation whlCl
! was said to have taken place during tn
battle of Santiago between Commodor
e Schley and his navigating officer Lien
| tenant HOdgSOn. one newspaper pun
lished this conversation several time-
a stating that Lieutenant Hodgson ha
= divulged 1t. Subsequently another pa
a per published a letter from Lieutenau
r | Iiodgson to Admiral Schley, declarin
y that such a conversation had not take
r. place. Then the first paper, ostensibl
on the testimony of another office
'- stated that Lieutenant Hodgson had, ne
a | crtheless, declared that such a cOnversJ
n tion had taken place. Under the circum
= stances, ii looked as though one Of tn
$, two officers had publicly made a f2ls
e | statement in d matter concerning tn
|. | navy. AS this, unless cleared up, Nigh
= work prejudice to the service and involv
II II in scandal, It became necessary, a
" customary in such cases, to call for a
ir explanation. Both officers were, there
N fore, asked by the department To furnia
h such an explanation The result was tina
ID Lieutenant Hodgson declared that hi
denial of the conversation was to be cor
lie strued that the conversation had nc
~ taken place in the terms reported, bu
ID that the substance of the same had be
10 correctly stated. 1t was further estat
j. lished that the lieutenant, outside of HI
e communication to Schley. in which he d,
Is MED the conversation published, had SCI
another letter i'm which he declared tht
m he conversation with the former hg
lc been misrepresented by the newspapJ
1t only as to its terms, but not as to 4
rG substance Lieutenant HodgsOn had pr,
as giousy sent another letter OF similar pul
re port to Admiral Schley.
rs "It is evident that the course Of acti
Of Il the department In this matter Is Il
sual course resorted to by the depar
5. nent i'm order to give an officer an oppu
/ ,1r,H