The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-22
PREJUDICE AGAINST SCHLEY.
YOUNG MEN IN THE NAVY AMBI-
TIOUs FOR PROMOTION.

simpson 10 tne ErOnt-Ne teFun
Naval Officer Tells the story of the
Two Naval Fnctions-Snmpson Gets
the Credit Only Among Naval Of
ficers While Public Sentiment is
With Admiral SchIey.
Washington. March PA veteran naval
officer is the authority for the following
heretofore unpublished explanation of the
antipathy and prejudices existing in the
navy department against Rear Admiral
Winfield Scott Schley Various reasons
have been assigned for the cause of the
row between Schley and Sampson. which
has almost reached the magnitude of a
national issue
According to the veteran sea dog, who
stands sponsor for this story, Admiral
Schley's friendship for Rear Admiral John
G. Walker, retired. is at the bottom OF all
Schley's troubles. Long before war be-
tween the United States and Spain was
declared, Admiral Walker. who when on
active duty was regarded as one of the
ablest executive officers in the navy and
several of his associates on the retired
list who are still in possession of vigor-
they have passed to the age which en-
titles them to ease and comfort on tho
retired list.
Admiral Walker, who keeps posted on
the times, realized that a conflict between
Spain and the United States was inevi-
table and he promptly presented himself
at the navy department and Aequested to
be assigned TO sea service in the event
of trouble. Several of his associates on
the retired list followed his example and
also requested sea service in the event
of war with Spain.
The younger element in the navy head
ed by Capt. Crowninshield, Sampson and
others of junior rank had a strong pull
on the Secretary of the Navy through
Capt. Crowninsheld who, as chief of the
bureau of navigation, is really the chief
executive officer of the navy, as he die
tates the assignment of officers to such
service as they may be called upon to per
form. only those who are in this service
can fully appreciate the tremendous
influence placed in the hands of the chief
of the bureau of navigation. Capt Crow
ninshield, who succeeded Admiral Walker
in the potential naval office, is accused of
being jealous of Walker, and has on every
occasion strven to undo what Walker
had done when chief of the bureau of
navigation In other words through the
naval service there is what is known as
Walker faction and a Crowninshield fac
ton. The Crowninshield faction is natur-
ally in the ascendency because they are
in power and practically in active con-
troll of the naval establishment, while the
Walker faction, which consists principally
of officers on the retired list or those like
Schley soon to be retired.
Younger Element Ambitious.
In the navy, as in all other walks of
life, the young men are ambitious for pro-
motion, and when the prospects of war
with Spain became bright there was a
naturally jealousy on the part of the
younger officers for fear that some of the
old veterans might be restored TO active
service and reap the laurels of victory
which were claimed by the Junior officers.
Capt. Crowninshield, with all the younger
officers al his back, easily persuaded Sec
rotary Long 90 sign an order which he
(Crowninshield) framed providing that in
the event of war with Spain officers on
the retired list might be restored to active
duty under certain conditions.l 1t was
further provided in the order that retired
officers could not be assigned to sea SER
vice, but might be assigned to shore duty,
such as bureau officer, commandants of
naval stations and at similar places where
they would not be likely to become en-
gagged in active warfare and achieve any
of the glories of naval victory.
While this family row was going on in
che navy service, Rear Admiral Sicard,
commanding the North Atlantic Squadron,
was taken ILL., and his health became SO
impaired that IL was necessary to relieve
him from command of the squadron and
order him back to Washington. BY that
time the Maine had been blown up in the
harbor of Havana and war with Spain
was inevitable The relief of Sicard nat
urally started a lively competition among
the next ranking officers for that very de-
sirable command. The friends of Schley,
of course, pushed him to che front and
other officers were suggested before Capt.
Crowninshield, who then, as now, domf-
mates the navy department, selected Capt.
Sampson, junior officer, TO at least four
or five men who had applied for thai COM
mand. Naturally, the officers who were
jumped by Sampson were highly incensed,
and they and their friends proceeded to
take the general public into their conf
dence, and the result was an open row
between two factions in the navy, one
headed by Schley and the other support
ing Sampson. Schley, having a record
for bravery, courage, good seamanship,
diplomacy and all the qualifications which
go to make up a distinguished and COM
petent naval commander, naturally took
prominence because of the high place he
occupies in the estimation of the general
public, who are not interested in the petty
jealousies that exist in various branches
of the public service
Public Sentiment With SchIey.
Public sentiment sides with Schey while
the ma jority of the naval officers connect
ed with the North Atlantic squadron, and
those on duty at Washington, realizing
that il was 90 their personal advantage TO
be on friendly terms with Capt Crowniu-
shield, the naval dictator, and acting Rear
Admiral Sampson. the new commander of
the squadron, took sides with the powers
that be and arrayed themselves against
Schley. Contrary TO the wishes and de-
sires of Capt Crowninshed, Secretary
Long, influenced by public sentiment and
by suggestion of the President, assigned
Schley to command the so-called Fly
ing Squadron" several converted cruisers
designated for soothing duty. Notwlth-
standing the fact that Schley ranked
Sampson on the naval register by several
numbers, the senior officer was virtually
placed i'm a position where he would have
tn receive orders from a iInior In naval