Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-13

OF the famous dispute between Admiral
Sampson and Admiral Schley of the
American navy it is absolutely neces-
sary that the environment of the two
men prior to the Spanish-American
war and their physical and mental
characteristics should be well under
stood. When these are understood it
can be appreciated why the board of
inquiry, which sits in Washington
September IL, will ultimately have
decision to make certain to profoundly
affect the national navy for many
years to come. This board of inquiry
will be composed of Admiral George
Dewey, Rear Admiral Kimberly, re-
tired. and one other member not yet
selected. The prosecutor will be Cap
tain Lemey, judge advocate of the
navy; the counsel for the defense,
probably Jere M. Wilson.
"sea Dogs
Since the close of the civil war in
1855, or rather the end of the famous
naval attack on Fort Fisher, there has
been slowly developing in the national
navy two classes of advocates or the
orists. Various titles have been ap-
piled to these classes, but the two
which seem to apply the best are those
of sea dogs and ''tacticians. The
first class has been composed of nava,
officers who prefer sea to land duty;
who hold that no tactics can be devils
ed that will meet the exigencies of bat
tie as well as sound Judgment and cool
daring on the part of the commanding
officers; who believe naval power is
for action and not for inaction, anG
who think the English course the
right course-shoot first and explain
afterward. Paul Jones, Truxton, Ster.
rett, Farragut were of this stamp.
Schley, Dewey. Robley D. Evans, Clark
have been so classified. The ''sea
dog" class is popularity supposed to be
composed of men who know much
more of fighting than politics.
"Taticians."
The second class has been made up
of naval instructors, officers long an
land duty, and students. 1t has been
fighting sham battles in Washington
during the last forty years; that is, ex
ecuting attacks or making defenses or
paper, and demonstrating theoretical
ly how an enemy could be repulsed II
is class composed largely of officers
OF strong social inclinations; com
manders and others seen at Old Point
Newport, Norfolk or Bar Harbor every
season 1t is made up of men haV
ing political influences and strong the
cries; one of the latter being that
navy is purely for defense and thai
tactics may oftener win victory thar
thirteen-inch gun. Admiral Sampson
is at the head eff this class an able
instructor at Annapolis, a student al
all times, one of the most profound
theorists the navy has ever known
And it may be said as to the two tina
president Mckinley has always fav
ored the latter and not the former.
Sampson Student
When the war was declared agains
Spain in 1898 by the United States
Rear Admiral Sampson was a captain
in the navy. Entering Annapolis il
1857, he graduated, served as lieu
tenant during the civil war, and then
after the cessation of hostilities, CAV,
the greater part of his time to nava
instruction work at Newport, and per
xecting plans for superposed turret
such as are now in use on the Keal
sage. He was inspector of ordnanc,
at the Washington navy yard tire
years and chief of the bureau of ord
nance from 1898 to 1897. He was re
garded as the closest student the nav,
department possessed, but was no
widely known as a naval authority un
til appointed president of the cou1
of inquiry to investigate the cause O
the Names destruction. This ar
pointment was followed by another
that of COMMUNICATIVE of tn
North Atlantic naval station.
Advanced Fast.
Rear Admiral SIMPSONS origin ha
been a most humble one He cam
from an obscure family of Palmyra
N. Y, and worked his way upwar
by sheer application to books an
their study. He made a name for hin
self as mathematician and thinke.
out lacked the rugged qualities of
commander and man at sea. He wa
Unfortunately sensitive rather retirins
rather slow. The favor President M,
kinley showed him probably came t
him with as much surprise as it di
to the American public, which did nc
know him. He was advanced over tn
heads of other captains who had see
long sea service and waited long fo
promotion for meritorious service.
Justly or unjustly his elevation wa
charged to politics and to the gres
desire of the administration to hay
an tra-conservative commander a
the head of the navy in Atlanti
waters.
Origin of Trouble.
There the first trouble in the Sam
son-Schley controversy started. TIL
naval cabal, or clique, in Washington
fully as strong as the army cabal, a
lied itself with the administration, i
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