The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-04
A NAVAL SORE REOPENED
The SellIey- Sampson Controversy
Renewed With Vigor.
An Official account of What Happen
ed at the White House Conference
Enters Protest - Two Bills to
he Submitted to the senate.

Senator McComas of Maryland. it is said.
will undertake to see that Rear Admiral
Schley is accorded equal honors with Rear
Admiral Sampson in any action Congress
may take to reward the naval officers who
took part in the destruction of Cervera's
fleet at Santiago The Senator called on
the President yesterday and discussed Ad-
nliral Schleys case at some length. but
tn result of the conference is unknown.
iftcr his interview with the President.
Senator McComas stated that he proposed
to have introduced a bill providing for a
| revival of the grade Of vice admiral for
Schley's benefit, and that he would also
have introduced a bill providing for two
vice admirals and that Congress could
pass either bill it saw fit While he did
not say so. it is supposed that the bill for
two Vice Admirals referred to by Senator
McComas will be for the purpose of allow
! ing Admiral Simpsons friends to have
him made Vice Admiral, which would
amount to a compromise. Senator Nc
Comas has nothing TO say against Samp-
| son. but does not propose to see him pro-
NOTED at the expense of Schley.
The Schley- Sampson controversy was re-
newed with vigor yesterday by the friends
of each officer. as the result of the con-
/ ference held on Tuesday between the Presi-
dert, the Secretary OF the Navy and the
officers who commanded the vessels AT the
battle of Santiago. After this conference
/ IL was stated that the President had merely
discussed with the officers the means h.
which those who participated in the battle
might be rewarded. The officers were said
IL. fg .Uvssa - u.
ais for meritorious services. If distributed
to those who really deserved them, would
be preferable to advancement in rank.
The following is an official account OF
what happened at the White House con-
ference. given out to press representatives
on condition that the name of its autho.
be left unmentoned II may be accepted
as a truthful expose of what the Sampson
ring thinks of Schey and axe it may
be safely regarded as an effort to convey
the erroneous impression that in naval cir
cles there is majority of sentiment against !
Schley:
In their conference with President Nc /
kinley At the White House the eight naval I
officers who represented that number OF /
American warships of the fee, formerly
under Admiral SampsoR's COMMAND. did
not hesitate to- express themselves when
Mr.. Mckinley asked them what they
thought OF the proposition to revive the
grade of vice admiral with two numbers
one place tc go 10 Sampson and the other
TO Schley. Among those present was Capt
f. 4. Cook. who commanded the Brooklyn,
Schley's flagship in the Spanish-American
ar. and while the attitude of Captain
Cook at the conference has not been made
public. it is fair tr assume that he did not
contradict the assertions of his broSher
officers. plainly intended to apply to Sch!ey.
The verdict of the Santiago captains as
expressed to President Mckinley was that
there should be only one vice admiral, and
that should be Rear Admiral W. T. Samp-
son. and that officer. against whom charges
wer, pending. should not be rewarded for
war services until they had been cleared
OF those charges 1t was made evident to
the President that the Santiago captains
would regard it as AN aifront if ;;chIey
were made vice admiral. In the recital
Of the story of the Flying sqnadron's yaciI
lating movements between Cisufuegus and
Santiago. and OF Schley's de.ertiun OF
blockade duty OFF the entrance to Santiago
Harbor. it was made very clear 10 Mr.
that in the opinion OF the SAN
tiago captains. SchIey was hacking in quail
ties essential to the making Of a good
naval commander. II was plainly seen
that when the question about the vice
admirHls was preached, that Sch;ey was
inefficient and lacked the proper judgment
for exercising such high command
The fight between the friends of Schley
and Sampson. il is said viii result in
nothing being done by Congress to reward
he officers who took part in the Santiago
battle. Schley's friends will hardly per
nit any bill to pass which does not give
him equal honOrs with Sampson. while the
friends Of Sampson will oppose any meas
ire which will reward Schiey. II IS be (,
ieyed that The President. rather than have
he subject of rewarding the officers made
fractional fight in Congress will not at
empt to have revived the grade OF vice !,
dmiral