The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-03
REWARD FOR NAVAL OFFICERS.
NOTHING YET DONE FOR THE VIC
TORS OF SANTIAGO.

President VIII Send Rccommenda-
tions to Congress ut Once--PrOb-
able That Three Classes of Medals
VIII he Provided, the First to Car
ry with II an Increase of Pay
without Promotion In Rank.
Views of the Santiago Captains.
Washington, Jan. 2-The President has
again taken up the question of rewardins
The naval officers who participated In the
destruction of Cervera's fleet Off Santiago
and his final conclusion win be embodied
shortly in recommendation to Congress-
either in the form of a renewal OF the
advancement of Rear Admiral Sampson
and the officers under him by numbers
with perhaps some modihcauons-the
scheme which the Senate refused to rati-
fly last spring. or according TO some other
method.
The Secretary of the Navy, in his re-
port recommended as an alternative prop
osition. legislation on the line of the bin
introduced last spring. which provides for
| three classes of medals-one for consplcu-
Gus conduct in war, one for extraordinary
| heroism and one for general meritorious
service-the first to carry with il a per-
centage of increase of pay, based upon
the rank of the recipient and calculated
to take the place of the increase which
would be the result of promotion were that
the form of reward.
Either method would contemplate, in
| addition the thanks of Congress to the
| squadron and the officers and men under
| his command, as they were given to the
commander-in-chief of the Asiatic squad
ron and the officers and men under his
| command.
There also has been a suggestion for
| the creation of the grade of vice admiral
! for the benefit of Rear Admiral Sampson
and Rear Admiral Schley.
! As result of the Sampson -Schley con-
| troversy, the reward of all the subordinate
| officers in the North Atlantic squadron
has been blocked up to this time, and 1t
is The urgent desire of both the President
| and Secretary Long that justice be done
| them and that they obtain the rewards
| which they have earned
Conference Mt White House.
| Preliminary to a decision upon his course
| of action, the President ana Secretary
! Long had consultation with eight of the
/ Santiago captains at the White House
The naval officers present were Chadwick
of the New York. Cook of the Brooklyn,
| Clark of the Oregon, Philip (now rear ad-
| mlraD of the Texas; Evans of the Iowa;
| Hieginson (noW rear admiraD of the Mas
| sachusetts; Folger of The New Orleans. and
| Lieut.. Commander Wainwright of the
! Gloucester. Rear Admiral Sampson was
not present. These commanding officers
We're especially invited by the President
| who desired TO hear from their own lips
! the story of the battle of Santiago, the
general movements and difficulties of the
| camplign. including the cruise of the fly
| ing squadron in search of Cervera's feet
and their own ideas as to the method of
conferring the rewards.
For almost two hours the captains talk
| ed with the President, who manifested
| keen interest In thsir personal accounts OF
! the stirring events off the south coast of
/ Cuba. Some of the controyerted questions
were gone into at length. The consensus
! OF opinion of the naval officers, as devel-
oped at the conference, seemed 10 favor
| the method of reward recommended by
| Secretary Long-the conferrihg of medals
which would carry with them a percentage
| of increase Of pay in lieu of advancement
| by numbers. This would compensate for
! actual promotion by giving increased pay
! ond by giving to the recipients distinction
| which would mark them for future SER
| vice.
Would work Some Hardship.
At the same time in some cases it woull
work hardship; as for instance in the case
| of Capt Clark. Despite his heroic service
in bringing the Oregon around the Horn
| in such marvellous style and the gallant
| service of the Oregon in the Santiago
| fight, Capt. Clark to-day is two numbers
| below his position at the opening OF the
war. This is due to the advancement of
| the Manila captains whose promotions
were confirmed by the Senate. Capt
| Clark at the conference to-day, however,
| was willing that Secretary Longs plan
| should be adopted in order that just
| might be done TO the others.
| The President, shortly after the recon-
| vening of Congress Tomorrow viii trans
| NIT his recommendations 1t Is not i'm
| probable that in doing 50 he will accom-
! pany them by a special message callng
| attention to the grave injustice that has
been done TO the commander-in-ch hief om
| GERS and men of the North Atlantic squad
| ron in so long Withholding from them the
rewards to which their gallant service en-
| titles them.