New-York tribune., 1900-07-01
CAPT, WILDE AND HIS CHIEF OFFICER.

CAPT WILDE AND HIS CHEF OFFICER.
Captain Wilde has a very good record He
commanded the Dolphin in 1885; the Katahdin
for which he volunteered in 1898. and the Bos-
ton last year. He was secretary of the Light
house Board from 1884 to 1898 and a light
house inspector from 1883 TO 1885 He is popu-
lar in the service. and nothing rejecting upon
his ability is attached TO his official record.
But a captain cannot run the whole ship,
much as is expected Of him and great as his re-
sponsibilities He must have good assist
ants, and the first requisite is executive off,
Ger Of absolute trustworthiness. The present
executive Of the Oregon, the second in command
and the only man 10 whom Captain Wilde could
leave charge OF the ship If compelled to snatch
an hours sleep out Of the twenty four, was
court martialled for drunkenness on duty at
Mare Island in February, 1895 the verdict re-
suting in q scathing reprimand by Secretary
Long TO Admiral Kempff and the rest OF the
court. For repetition Of the offence Adams was
sentenced by another court martial two months
later TO dismissal, but the President, upon
-Adams's pledges. modified the sentence to deg
radiation TO the bottom Of his rank involving
loss OF forty-nine numbers and constituting one
OF the severest naval punishments Of recent
years. Since that time Adams has been IN the
East and little has been heard OF him in Wash
ington.
An executive with dangerous habits was not
che only weakness on which Captain Wilde was
dependent for assistance 1t had been intended
TO put the Oregon out of commission. and she
had been practically stripped Of experienced Off
GERS, except in her engine room force.
HANDLED BY CHILDREN"
A naval officer said to-day: She was being
handled by children" Her navigator was grad
rated from Annapolis just years ago.
Until a few weeks ago he had been navigating
nothing larger than the little gunboat Princeton
of ten feet draught. The senior watch officer on
deck Ensign Wood, was graduated in 1898, and
the remaining six ensigns who alternated with
him are all Of the class Of 1900 who have barely
received their first commissions. If. in fact these
documents have yet reached Manila. Comparing
the Oregon's present list Of officers with her
complement when she rushed past the feet at
Santiago and forced the Colon ashore there is a
startling discrepancy Of ability.
Naval officers are not disposed to hold the
Navy Department itself blameless for the dis
aster in view Of the sudden orders that went to
the battleship ito proceed with all dispatch to
Talzu" Captain WILDE at Hong Kong, with
little or no accurate knowledge of the conditions
al his destination probably thought desper-
ate crisis existed there and that the presence
of an armored ship was quickly needed to pro-
tect the Newark perhaps from Chinese are other
heavier naval vessels. He was probably aware
Of the notorious untrustwOrJhiness Of all charts
of Chinese waters, and felt that he had to take
come chances to reach Tal1u in time. Typhoons
Of such violence as TO delay the 9th Infantry's
departure from Manila for ten days are known
TO have been prevalelEt tnathe East for several
weeks and perhaps the Oregon's commander
found Miao-Tao Strait more convenient than the
wide open course to the north, especially If he
had been driven ouS OF his set course by head
winds. cross currentg ard foggy weather.
ADMIRAL HICHBORN'S VIEW.
Admiral E4chborn's understanding Of the Ore
gon's injuries, as reported by Captain Wilde
satisfies him that the ship can only be saved by
q lucky combination Of circumstances such as
would be regarded little short Of miraculous.
While above the water line she is one OF the
heaviest ships afioat, her immersed section is
exceedingly tender. great sacrifices in hull ma
terial having been made to allow for increases
in the armor and battery weights. For this
reason the case is wholly unlike that Of the
mail steamer Paris on the Manacles in the Eng
lish Channel. The Oregon can be nghtened only
a few tons. constituting an Insignificant pro-
portion Of her great weight Her massive top