The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-15


SAMPSON knew. The commander who
shields his disobedlence Of IN order with
the plea that a previous communication
conAicted with It or confused the situa-
ton j" must be morally or mentally unfit
for his place.
SCHLEY's so excusing himself was plainly
venture to confuse the Senate; and the
day that such tactics availed with that
body was, we believe, without precedent
The second count was on the slow run
from Cenfuegos to Santiago. which ScHLEY
said was caused by the rough weather hold
ing back the dispatch boat Eagle, "she, |"
according to Secretary LONG, having been
allowed to reduce materially the speed OF
the squadron" SIMPSONS order was to
proceed to Santiago with all dispatch,
but cautiously" In ScHLEYs answer he
tries to have the Senate interpret the word
cautiously" as a contradiction OF dis
patch:
IL ordered TO proceed to Santiago cautiously :
tsee nbovel II had known that the Spanish feet
in the latter port trust that 1t is not necessary
for me to assure this honorable committee that no
consideration of the Eagle or anything else would
have prevented from getting there at tho earliest
possible moment with the larger vessels. But the
weather and and the slow moving vessels made
1t imposs ible to do better than did"
If in a law school student should have
the face to argue before a moot court
that cautiously" coming after call dis
patch" meant SLOWLY" the word into
which SCHLEY twisted it. his fellows would
have to blush for him. SCHLEY half de-
molshed his own pretence by saying
that "if he had known that the Span
ish feet was in the latter port (Santiago)
nothing would have stopped his getting
there with dispatch" That is, IL he had
approved of his sailing orders, which were
given to him without regard to his knowl-
edge, belief or Judgment he would have
obeyed them. To his commanding officer
he was virtually insubordnate. We leave
1t to his supporters to think over what he
was to the Senate.
To the third count, or SCHLEY's dallying
and turning in the neighborhood Of Sam
tiago, ScHLEY's defence is in his initial
vein of carefully studied speclousness.
On the afternoon OF May 20 ScHLEY got
to within twenty-five miles Of Santiago,
where he spoke with tho Minneapolis, the
st. Paul and tho Yale. He tells the Senate
that he was assured" by Capt. SIGsBEE
Of the st. Paul. that SIGsBEE did not be-
lieve it 1.-The Spanish fieetl to be in Santiago
Capt. STGsBEE is on record in direct con-
tradiction of this statement. SCHLEY made
no effort to learn definitely that the ships
were in port, as suggested in the orders
OF tho COMMANDMENTS Chief' Three hours
afterward he signalled the fleet to go back
to Key West.
During this time the Navy Department,
having had reason to expect SCHLEY of
Santiago on May "a, was in panic Of
anxiety. "SCHLEY ought to have arrived
off Santiago on May 24," telegraphed
SAMPSON. The most absolutely urgent
thing now" tclegraphed Secretary LONG to
SCHIEY on May 81, is to know positively
whether the Spanish division is in Santiago.
You must surmount difficulties regarding
coaing by your own ingenuity and perse-
verancc. This is a crucial time, and the
department relies upon you to give quickly
information as to CERvERA's presence, and
to be al. ready for concerted action with
the army"
On the morning of that day tho Harvard
gave to SCHLEY despatch from Secretary
LoNG dated May 20 repeating to him the
certain "he'h"r vi" 'h'tii! was 'h'io VI
not" and thus SCHLEY answered:
"Nrcb Ohio regr.tted Cannot ohev or,.re ~ tho
departucut uay. s,riy.n .arnestv Forc.d %
,roce.I far coal IN Kew West bv uay of yu,atnn
Passage Cannot ascertain anything respecting
ep.,nv nos;tivc"
A.. c., ,,..,,.
p - VIZ 'i va "
ships show that at this time the Marble
head had over three days supply of coal;
the BROOKLYN, over ten: the Massachu-
Gotta ovor ,i,,bt tho Toxoa ovor G,.o and
tbe Iowa over eight The strong body Of
tho snuodron tho hottIcshins and tho ar
ormornd crui.nr had coal onourh to storm
around tho Island Of CuL,
Sr,tr,y,s renlv hofore thn Senate IL in tbo
came strain Of oyasiya nleadipy.
..r,. ,..,,,.ro,0 ,,,,,o,,,,,,,.o,
what tho honorable SECRETARY cnnractarIcs "a PAM
rehensible conduct In reply to this can only say
that never before in professional life Of more than
for'Y'two years was any 'uch language used to