New-York tribune., 1899-03-28
HIS RECORD INCOMPLETE.
SCHLEY'S PROMOTION DEFENDS on
FEW WORDS FROM SAMPSON.
RENIEY AND WATSON IN THE SAME SITUA-
TIoN-NO REPORT YET MADE OF THEIR
CONDUCT IL THE WAR.
lnY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrNr ]

]
Iny TELEGRAPH 70 THE TRIBrNrl
Washington. March y7-The promotion of Com
modores Remey Watson and schley to be rear
/ adrnirals hangs on u few words from Rear Admiral
samson now at Kingston. jamaica. 10 whom the
Navy Department telegraphed to-day directing him
IN send at once mis- requisite report on the quahh-
cations OF these three officers. who are now his
seniors a. they were year ago, but who were
temporarily under his command in the war with
Spain. This remarkably anomalous condition Of az
fairs arises from the meeting to-day AZ the Navy
Department OF the special Examining Board ap-
pointed by Secretary Long. consisting Of the three
| ranking rear-admirals OF the service Mc.>'''''
Howell and Howison TO pass the quahcat tions
for Advancement 10 the next higher grade % the
fourteen officers in line to MI vacancies due TO the
creation by Congress under the personnel bili of
eighteen rcar-admras These officers in the order
Of their rank are Commolores Rcmey, Farquhar
watson Robeson. schey and Casey and Captains
Sampson Cromwell Philip. Higginson. Picking
Rodgers Kempn and Sumner
When the Board met to-day It speedily approved
the professional records OF eleven Of these officers
os Aawlcss. That Of Commodore Robson was also
complete. but. unfortunately. the medical exam
inors had found him physically incapacitated FOR
further active sea duty. and he will therefore he
placed on the retired list tomorrow on hts own
applcation with the rank OF rear-admiral To the
vacancy thus made Captain =. T. Day VIII sue
cced and he will receive prompt promouoh uhuer
a recess appoint mcni by tho President.
II is the understanding that in the cases OF t'n
Of the candidates the Board acted with th' routine
expedition usual I'm such examinations Tor pro"'-
ton In the case Of Captain Sumner. whose record
was open to slight question on account oi the uh-
fortunate mishap to the Columbia in the Southamp-
ton drydock several years ago th" 'oa'd consid
cred that the suspension Of punishmer. CONSTITUTED
an offset to the court-martial senienc" FOR neeh-
eence. and his fitness for fleet command was or
dercd certified 10 the President
rtJt- ,,t-cr-r ATTnNS PROVIDE
The records OF the remaining three officers.
Remev. Watson and Schev We're. however found
defective I'm that they contained no report OF tn"lr
services I'm tho last year from their imm"di"'"
superior officer. Th's unfortunate omission II ap-
pcars was due TO an oversight OF Sampson or -
the failure of that officer to observe one "t the
naval regulations No. 23S. which provides:
First Reports on The fitness OF ofice's snaH IA & ne
made on prescribed iorns 10 we D.rer,ber in
each year and whenever officers ar" detached
IRON T1Tt Tt once are cnioned 10 prepare the
CURED reports with great care an! 1enncrqtlor, lor
bearing in mind their importance 70 the naval ser
Wee End 70 tho officers concerned.
Sections . and ? o. this article. which Is ono ~
the longest and most important In the @H-Iage ho"k
~ regulations numbering n"arly 100 articles re-
late 10 the form of reports and other sections cover
reports NJ DISTINGUISHED conduct. staff efficiency.
naval cadets. otc.
samson was placed ia command of all the
forces on the North Atlantic Station on AprH ..
Commodore Remoy was in commend OF the naval
base al Key West from MAY ~ August - con-
s.,,utinr part OF SIMPSONS command. Commodore
watson commanded the blockadng squadron from
Nv : IN rune o tho first North Atlantic squad
ron from June oi 70 june . and the Eastern
SQUADRON from July 10 September - und'r IN"
North Atlantic Station. 'omuodore Sch''N 'o"-
rnar1ed tho Flvlng Squadron from the beginning
-, .no v,r - Nav q Independently from May q
,o 1uro q under Sampson. and the second Norih
Atlantic Soualron from June p 10 the close ot
bostllltlcs going on waiting orders on November ,.
The Connander-in in chief. IL appears did not
make the requisite reports on either OF 'h"se "'"-
Gers I'm June or December. when they became
detached from his command. This omission he
has beer, ordered 20 rcctify as far as possible by
cahi.
DOUBT As To SIMPSONS REPORTS
7, Is understood that the Board satisfied
with the qualifications OF tho three commodor"s ~
emitting them 10 advancement with this sing" ana
purely formal exception. NcveTth'.ess. cons'''r"'
hlo curiosity is aroused over tho replies Sampson
NAV send I'm answer to the Departments instruc-
tions and there is no little speculation as TO why
he who IS SO punculious ordinarily over matters
affected 10y the regulations. failed to make the re-
oured routine reports That he will promptly
give Commodore Remey and Commodore Watson
s,;ch an Endorsement as will insure their promo
tton is unaucstioned but In the case Of Commo-
dore Schey there is some doubt especially in View
OF the following paragraph from the official caol"
dispatch Of rcCommc ndatons for promotions "hi'h |
Sampson sent to Secretary Long from Playa del
Este. cuba. on July 10:
prefer leaving any question Of reward for !
Commodore schcy 70 The pepartm,fnt. Think hi5
conduct during tn" time when SchleN comndnd'i |
the east side of cuba. which ! assume Is wei |
known to the Department. should be considered.
on the same date Sampson wrote letter 10 Sec |
retary Long explaining in greater detail his rea-
sons for the recommendations. in which he re- |
fercd 20 schley follows:
with regard to Admiral Schley would prefer that
tho DEPARTMENT should decide his case. am unwin-
INK 10 fully express my own opinion. HIS conduct |
when he first assumed command on the south cVhS'
Of cuba ] assume 20 be as well known 10 'he D.r |
partment as to myself Had the Commodore eft |
his station Of Santiago dc cuba at that time ho |
uroLabv would have been Ourt-martialled 80 plain
was his duty. Were alone in this opinion would
certainly doubt my judgment. put. so iar az
know. his opinion l. confirmed by that OF other |
cumstarces This reprenensble conduct ,cannot |
separate from his subsequent conduct ana lof this
reason ! ak YOU 70 DO him ample justice on 'I''s |
occasion
This was before the Board to-day. and was not
REGARDED as necessarily constituting a bar to |
Schcys promotion
The retirement of Robson to-day advances Casey |
70 40 9 on the list Of rear-admirals Sampson ad- |
varrtuq 10 No 1O The first nine have rank and !
pav with ma jor gen Of the Army. and the sec
ond nine have rank and pay as hrlgadcr- t'HeiaI7 !
This fact serves intensity the EMBARRASSING tlu-
alton I'm which a man Of SIMPSONS known integrity |
and conscientious scruples hnds himself placed |
eepeclallv i'm view Of the ignorant and brutal crt-
cisms which are passed on his acts In some quar- |
ters.
BISHOPS LETTER TO THE POPE. !
SUBSTANCE OF THE REPLY or PRELATEs