Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-03-09
LONG REPLIES TO scHLEY.


LONG REPLIES TO sCHLEY.
Another Contribution to the SchIey-
Sampson Controversy.
Washington, March 8. - The senate
committee on naval affairs has made
public Secretary Longs second letter
in the Sampson-Schley controversy,
this communication being In reply to
Admiral Schley's letter. The first
matter which the secretary takes up is
Admiral Schley's mention Of Admiral
Simpsons letter Of May 20. which tila
secretary says seems to have given
certain senators the impression that
the department had withheld the let
ter. On this point he says.
"FTst--That tn:s letter was not In the
possession OF the department on Feb. 9.
nor was its existence known TO the de-
partment at that time.
'Second--That 1t was I'm the possession
of Admiral Schley until Feb. 0, when II
was sent to the department, upon its re-
quest TO be furnished with all official
records relating to his duty as COM
mander-in-chief Of tie flying sauadon and
as a flag officer in the North Atlantic
fleet.
"Third-In its instructions with regard
to maintaining the blockade OF Cienfue-
gos II was not more explicit than the let
ter of Admiral Sampson Of May 10, which
accompanied the communication ofs-tho
department of Feb O and which Is pub
lished In the appendix TO the report OF
the bureau of navigation. on page 464.
Fourth-That on May 2i. the day after
II was written. Admiral Sampson sent or
ders to Commodore Schley In duplicate
by the Hawk and Marblehead. which or
ders we're received by Commodore Schley
aurf.. ri tt,o ov1A
gath. respectively. directing Commodore
Scfley to proceed with all dispatch, but
cautiously, to Santiago. II satished that
the Spanish squadron was not at Glen
fpegos. The set OF these orders sent By
the Hawk was received on the same day
as the letter OF the Goth and bearing q
later date. May II, of course. revoked the
instructions to blockade Cienfuegos. con-
tained In the letters Of the 10th and Goth.
"Fifth-That In obedience to these
instructions the flying squadron left Cien-
fJegos on the afternoon of the 2tth, but
did not reach the immediate vicinity Of
the port az Santiago until the morning
OF the Goth of May"
The secretary quotes the admirafs ref
erence to the apartments order. received
by him May 81. directing him to positively
ascertain II Csrvera's fleet was In Santi-
ago harbor. and not to allow him to leave
Santiago IL found certainly to be there
without a decisive action" gives the
admirafs reply in full, and says:
"It will be seen that Rear Admiral
Schley's statement TO the senate does not
show that he started to return to Key
West and signalled to the squadron 20
that effect. and so informed the depart
ment, and It might be inferred that he
Immediately obeyed that order and ascer-
tained the presence OF the enemy at San
tiago. On the contrary. his telegram
above, dated May %, and written on May
q, shows that though having just re-
ceived the telegram OF the department.
and having on hand sufficient supply OF
coal to return to Key West, he reported
that he could not obey the order and con-
tiuued to proceed toward Key West.
However II later became evident TO him
that this was unnecessary and he re-
sumed the movement toward Santiago.
Another point in Admiral SchIey's LETT
ter Is touched upon In the following let
ter:
admiral schiey's mention OF the signal
by Admiral Sampson at s:45 a. M. July 5,
Disregard movements OF the commander
in-chief,' and his mention OF the move-
ment OF the commander.in-chief toward
Siboncy, is followed by an incorrect In
ference, TO wit, This left me senior oficer
present, and necessarily clothed me with
the responsibilities of command. The
signal above mentioned Is one which -
frequently made in squadron and u never
he'd as in any sense a REIMBURSEMENT OF
command 1t is made where. for any rea-
son, the flagship leaves its assigned posi-
ton in formation. as was the case when
the New York left her habitual blockad-
ing station the morning OF July 3. Al
such times 1t is made to avoid confusionf
which would result II other vessels liking
their positions by reference TO the nag
ship. were 10 move with her. Without
further signal the responsibility OF COM
mand would not be shifted until the
senior officer had gone out OF signal dis-
tance."
The statement concludes with the fol-
lowing:
THE department furnishes the forego~
ing statement only to complete the record
in compliance with the request Of the
senate of Jan. 70. Desiring to do Ad-
mirals Sampson and Schley full justice
for services rendered. II has. after full
consideration of all the circumstances.
recommended to the president their pro-
motion to the grade Of rear admiral and
begs to express the hope that his recon-
mendations to the same eject may be
confirmed by the senate"