Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-01-28
THE RIVAL ADMIRALS.
Senators Discuss Sampson and
Schley in Executive Session,
AND GALL FOR TIE RECORD.

AND GALL FOR TIE RECORD.
Observation-Disclosures ofSchleyDenounce
the Preference Shown Sampson Over
Schiey. While Others Declare Gem
modore Watson Unfairly Treated.
Washington. Jan. 24.-The executive
session of the senate yesterday was de-
voted wholly to the discussion Of the
promotion Of Admirals Sampson and
Schley and other naval officers en-
gagged in the Santiago campaign over
the heads Of officers who were their
superiors in rank. The controversy
was then postponed for 20 days, after
a vote had been taken to call for the
records Of the navy department bear
ing upon the conduct of all affected by
the advancement.
The discussion arose over the resolu-
ton, Of which Senator Butler was the
author, calling for these documents.
AS originally offered it asked for the
reasons for the advancement. bat the
resolution was modified so as to re-
quest the record only. The first vote
was on a motion made by Senator Hale
to lay the resolution on the table, and
on this the yeas and nays were taken,
resulting in II yeas to So nays. The
resolution was then allowed to pass
without further division.
For three hours previous to this. how
ever. the senate had been engaged In
q very animated verbal battle. which
involved many intricacies and was par
ticipated in by large number OF sena-
tors. The main contests were first over
the general policy Of promoting these
officers over others who were char
acterized as quite as deserving though
less fortunate, in that they were de-
prived of such active participation IN
the war and second as to the relative
merits of Sampson and Schley.
Senators German and Wellington, OF
Maryland, one a Republican and the
other a Democrat, united in florid
attack upon the navy department for
favoring Sampson over Schley. While
Senators Lindsay, Pettigrew, Perkins
and Money attacked the whole system
of promotion as "a species of favorit-
ism which was not warranted by the
facts" The method Of the administra-
ton was defended by Messrs. Hale,
Chandler and Lodge. Senator yelling
ton was especially Jealous in his ad-
vocacy of the claims Of Admiral Schley,
and in his presentation of reasons why
Admiral Sampson should not be pre-
ferred over him. an6 both he and his
Democratic colleague. Mr.. German,
made the statement that if the official
papers were ordered they would dem
onstrate beyond a possible question the
fact that Schley, and not Sampson.
fought the bate of Santiago.
Senator Lindsay found much in the
promotion of both Schley and Sampson
over Commodore Watson to condemn.
He took occasion to praise Watson as
a man who would undoubtedly have
made fine record in the war if given
the opportunity he should have had as
a senior officer and said that to de-
prlve him OF his rightful rank because
other men were pressed to the front
and given the posts of honor was in
every way unfair and unworthy Of
great country Senator Perkins. Sen
ator Plat. of Connecticut. and Senator
Pettlgrew also criticized the system as
one liable to result in unfairness.
Senators Hale and Chandler, both
members of the naval committee. de-
Tended the action OF the navy depart
ment In giving preference 70 the men
who took upon themselves the brunt o.
the battle in Atlantic waters. and in
preferring the man who was in COM
mand Of the fleet. They deprecated
the opening up of a controversy, which
Senator Chandler said might lead to
condition which might prove as I'M
savory as that which the war invesu-
eating commission has developed in
connection with the army beef con-
tracts.
During the presentation of this side
much was said in upholding the claims
Of Sampson in preference to those of
Schley. and the friends OF the latter
officer were warned that if they in
sisted upon pressing the investigation
too closely some facts would be de-
veloped that would not be agreeable
to them" The charge was made that
Schley had voluntarily left Santiago
after reaching the vicinity of that port
and after Cervera had entered the har-
Dor, and also the charge that when the
Spanish fleet had sailed out through
the narrow mouth of the channel Ad-
rniral (then COMMODORE Schley had
made a reverse movement with the
Brooklyn and had gone in direction
opposite to that taken by the Spanish
squadron, instead of boldly attacking
the enemy in the beginning.
The friends Of Admiral Schley de-
clared they had nothing to fear from
having all the facts known. Explain
ing his start to leave Santiago and his
refusal to obey department orders be-
fore SIMPSONS arrival. they said that
1t was because lSa had been unable to
coal at sea. When they were asked
how 1t had hoppened that they had
been able to coal S6 hours afterward
they replied that this was due to the
fact that a storm had given place to
calm.