Evening star., 1899-03-17
Comment on the Coming Examination
of Commodores.
GENERALLY A PERFUNCTORY AFFAIR
Statement at the Navy Depart
ment.
OUTSIDE THE CONTROVERSY

1t has been broadly intmated in certain
quarters that Rear Admiral Schley may be
relegated to the retired list as result of
his forthcoming examination for promo
tion. Such action, it is stated, will be based
on the official record of his conduct during
the Spanish war. His friends cannot con-
eeive of such an outcome in view of all the
circumstances of the case, and they point
out tina; there has never been case where
commodore has failed in an examination
for promotion to the grade of rear admiral,
Tor the simp'e reason that the examinations
| in such cases are really perfunctory. and
pass the candidate unless 1t is shown that
he has been found morally mentally or
professionally deficient by a properly con-
sNtuted board specially appointed to inves-
hsate some alleged misconduct.
The Examinations
In pursuance of law, the Secretary of the
Navy has appointed a board composed of
Admlrals McNair, Howell and Howison to
examine all the commodores, including
scnley and Sampson, for promotion 10 the
grade OF rear admiral in accordance with
me provisions of the naval personnel bti}
mat blll abolished the grade of commo-
uore and provided that all the officers on
me me !st shouid be made rear admirals, SUBJ
Ject 10 the usual examination TO determine
their mental, moral and professional atnnss
for advancement. ~
The usual method of determining such fit
heSs IS by the examination of the record
OF each officer on file at the Navv Denart
hent, and this method will undoubtedly be
employed in the present instance The ac-
.ual presence of the officer whose case is
under examination is not essential IN tho
proceedings, and they will not be DELAYED
oy the absence of Admiral Sampson who
IS on cruise in the West Indies The
records of AGmralS SchIev and Samnson
SHOW tnat thew hot
lne president for promotion to the grade
OF rear admiral for gallant and meritor;o,,c
&c ei 'Ices uuTlns the war with Spain, and it
us conhdently expected that that fact win
establlsh their fitness for promotion So far
as the board is concerned regardless of the
controversy that arose as to which of the
Two was entitled to precedence in the LIST
on account of individual services
What the Records Show,
II Is pointed out that while the records
Will show that Sampson as cornmande,in-
chief Of the North Atlantic squadron char
acterlzed Schley's conduct in command of
the Hylng squadron before the destruction
oL ehe spanish fleet at Santiago as repre-
nellsible he subsequently complimented
MIN Tor having successfully bottled up that
meet and still later recommended him
lor promotion. and that the Secretary of
the Navy Endorsed the recommendation
ana the President carried 1t into effect in
hiahihg ms war nominations to the Senate
70 conhrm the nomina tions of Schley and
sampson cannot prejudice their cases be-
iofe the naval examining board for the
reason @ tnat al! the naval promotions for
war services failed of confirmation with the
single exception of Commodore Higginson,
VINO, as IS we'll known, has waived his
rights IN the matter and asked to be placed
on the same plane the Others
Admiral Schley, being in the CITY NAV bo
summoned before the board to clear up any
% h%oup,lul point, but this is not likely. The
on the 9th instant. All the officers desie
mated for promotion will also be subject to
physical examination by a medical hoard
out lhls Will not be a very severe ordeal
otnerWlse Admiral Sampson might not pass
as he is in rather feeble health and remains
at sea in hopes of benefitng it,
Navy Department Statement
10 correct misrepresentation that ap-
pears to exist in some quarters respecting
the action of the Navy Department in or
dering the physical and professional exam
nations of Sampson and Schley the follow
ing statement was made public by the Sec
retary of the Navy today:
Section 1893 of the Revised Statutes pro-
vides that no officer shall be promoted to
higher grade on the active list of the
navy until he has been examined by
board of naval surgeons and pronounced
physically qualified to perform all his du-
ties at sea, except when physical disuuali-
hcation was occasioned by wounds received
in the line of duty.
''On March 10 the department wrote an or
der to Admiral Sampson, who is at sea in
command of the north Atlantic fleet direct
ing him to be physically examined in ac-
cordance with this statute. and on the same
day sent an order to Admiral Schley, who is
In Washington, to report at the navy yard
for the same examination.
Both these examinations simply
physical examinations ordered in the regu-
lar routine way in compliance with the
statute, and have no relation to the Samp-
son-Schley controversy.
The mental, moral and professional ex-
aminations of all officers of flag rank in
Guiding both Admirals Sampson and Schley.
will be conducted in exactly the same way
for them all by board appointed by the de-
partment and composed of Admirals Nc
Nair. Howell and Howison. the two former
being at the head of the list of admi-
rails. and the third senior TO both Sampson
and Schley."