The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-03
REWARD NAVAL OFFICERS.
PREsIDENr TALKS OVER THE MAT
TEEN wrTn THn CAPTAINS.
All who Participated IN Santiago
Ffsht Give Their views, Indors-
ing the Plan Proposed Tor Then
By Secretary Of the Navy Long.

WARRINGTON, Jan. 2-rhe president
has again taken UP the question Of re-
warding the naval officers who participat-
ed In the destruction Of Cervera's feet or
Santiago, and his ANAL conclusions will be
embodied shortly In recommendations to
CONGRESS either In the form Of renewal
OF the advancement Of Rear Admiral Samp-s
son and the officers Under him by numbers
with perhaps some modincations-the
scheme which the senate refused to ratify
last spring-or according to some other
method.
Different Schemes of Reward.
The secretary Of the navy in his ~eport
recommended as alternative proposition
legislation on the line Of the bill intro.
duced last spring (senate bill 6006), which
provides for three classes Of medals--one
for conspicuous conduct In war, one for
extraordinary heroiMn and one for general
meritorious service, the frA to carry with
1t percentage of increase Of pay. based
upon the rank OF the recipient and calcu-
lated to take the place Of the increase
which would be the result OF promotion
were that the form Of reward given. Either
method would contemplate, in addition, the
thanks Of congress to the commander-in-
chief Of the North Atlantic squadron and
the ofiicers and men under his command
as they were given to the conmnnder-in-
chief OF the Asiatic squadron and the Of
hc4rs and men under his command.
There also has been suggestion for the
creation OF the grade Of vice admiral for
the benefit OF Rear Admirals Sampson and
Schlsy. A. result Of the sampson-Schiey
ordinsts cticsrs II sT the North az Atlantic
sQudron has been blocked up to this time,
and i 4 the urgent desire Of both the
e oons to Them asS KAT hey obtain s
rewards which they have earned.
Preliminary to q decision on his course
Of sctiSn The president and sscrstsry Long
santiago captains at the White house. The
nava! Officers present were Chadwick, of
t ths New Y. York; Cook ,, of the Brooklyn:
miraD, Of the MASSACHUSETTS,; Folger, OF
the New Orleans, and Lieut.. Commander
wainwright, OF the Gloucester.
Tell the story of the Battle.
Rear Admiral Sampson was not present.
hear from their own lips the he's story s II the
battle u s,t of Santiago the general moysment
the cruise Of the flying squadron in search
OF Cervera's fleet, and their own ideas
a. t. the method Of cSonfsrriRF the re- q
with the president, who manifested keen
interest in their personal accounts Of the
stirring events off the south coast Of Cubo-
Some OF the controverted questions were
gone into at length. The consensus OF
opinAon Of the naval officers, as developed
at the conference seemed to favor the
method of reward recommended by Secre.
tary Long, the conferring Of medals which
would carry witA them a percentage of in
crease of pay in lieu Of advancement by
numbers. This would compensate for ac-
tual promotion, both by giving increased
pay and by giving to the recipients dis
tinction whic.i would. mark them for fu-
ture service At the same time, In same
cases II would work -,ardship; as for in
stance, in the case Of Capt, Clark. De-
spite the heroic service in bringing the
Oregon around the Horn in such marvel
Gus style and the gallant services of the
Oregon in the Santiago fight, Capt. Clark
today 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 Justice might be done to the others.
The president shortly after the recon-
vening of congress tomorrow will transmit
his recommendation It is not improbable
that in doing so he will accompany them
with a special message, calling attention
to the grave injustice which has been
done to the commander-in-chief. officers
and men Of the North Atlantic squadron
in so long Withholding from them the re-
wards to which their gallant service en-
titles them.