The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-27
SIMPSONS CHANCES SLIM.
His Letter Believed to Have RemOv-
ed Probability of Promotion.

His Letter Believed to Have RemOv-
ed Probability of Promotion.
Regret Is expressed in naval circles
over the publication of Rear Admiral
sampson $ views about the promotion of
warrant officers to commissioned grades
In the navy at the very time when his
chances FOR securing the coveted vice adj
miralcy were good There is an apparent
| general endorsement by navy men sta
toned in Washington of the views which
he expressed. The regret is born of the
feeling that Simpsons cause has been in
jured by his own action in maintaining
that from the standpoint of refinement
and social polish a nan who has served
as common sailor cannot attain that
high standard of what is called address
which is associated W tn IAN officer and
a gentleman"
Sampscns enemies have not lost the
opportunity afforded then by his endorse
ment of Gunner Mcrean's application to
take the examination for commission.
They are crying 'snok'' and saying that
Sampson, the son of a poor workingman,
seeks to draw lines of social distinction
between American QUEENS and places
himself and the commissioned officers OF
the navy in the aristocratic class. That
representatives in Congress there can be
no doubt. and even Simpsons friends
among them admit that the chances of
passing the measure creating the grade
of vice admiral fer the benefit of Samp-
son and Schley have been materially less
ened.
Some Of his friends go so far as to say
that any attempt to secure legislation In
his behalf would be useless Congress has
always been friendly to the enlisted men
TeIlec
ton on the private soldier or the blue
Jacket Is resented. There are n great
many congressman who believe that the
average army or navy officer is a snob
with an exaggerated idea of his own i'm
pOrtance. and there has been much talk
OF that sort since SIMPSONS letter about
Gunner Morgan's case was published.
AT any rate the feeling against Sampson
has been intensified and has extended to
Senators and Representatives who have
not heretofore been greatly concerned in
the controversy over the respective claims
of Sampson and Schley to the credit Of
conducting the naval campaign in the
West Indies. which resulted in the de-
struction of Admiral Cervera's squadron.
One of SIMPSONS friends in the Senate
expressed the opinion yesterday that the
feeling in Congress against the admiral on
account of his letter about promoting en-
listed men was too great to be readily
overcome He said that there would be
no legislation at this session in behalf of
Sampson and Schey but the reward
nominations CT the Santiago captains and
the junior officers of Simpsons fleet rec
commended for advancement would be con-
firmed by the Senate before the session
ends. This Senator remarked that Samp-
sons opinion in Morgans case was one
OF those things which men think but deem
II wise not TO talk about
A great many naval officers yesterday
said that Ii would be useless to try to eX-
plain to the country just what Sampson
meant by his reference to the official and
OH IN, tF1a sol
service They maintained that Sampson
expressed correct view of the PROPOSE
ton to promote enlisted men to commits
stoned grades but did so very awkwardly
IL was necessary they said, for a man to
i've on board a man-of-war to understaBH
that able as Jack Tar may be in some
ways. he cannot. even after rising to
warrant grade and serving in it for several
years, overcome the effect of early associa-
ton In the forecastle and acquire that
something which would make the men
have confidence in and respect him. and his
brother officers feel that ne had attained
the high standard which the navy is sup
posed TO maintain. The fact that the
General Board of the Navy endorsed Sec
rotary Long $ suggestion about promoting
warrant officers is regarded by naval off,
GERS as no criterion of the sentiment in
the service. Some of the officers yesterday
expressed the conviction that the members
of the board merely wanted to accommo-
date the Secretary and that few If any
scheme
Considerable feeling Is expressed in
naval circles over the addition to the
clause authorizing the promotion of war
rant officers Of a provision for the pro-
motion Of warrant machinists to commits
sions Naval officers regard this as the
hrst step toward the revival of a sonar
ate corps OF Engineers. with p revival
of the controversy over their status with
regard to line officers. Since the estab-
lisnment OF the Engineer Corps its mem
bers ana those of the line have waged a
bitter hght, which has tended to injure
the efflciency Of the personnel and II has
been found necessary to effect a com
promise by abolishng the distinction in
rank and transferring all engineers TO
the line.
act of March 3, 1899. Since then the war
rant machinists, n grade created by the
act, have been entrusted largely with
running the machinery of warships, al
though this has given rise to much dis
to Rear Admiral Melville a
former engineer but now in the line and
Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineer
ing. He maintains that the reorganiza-
tlon act contemplated keeping commits
stoned officers in charge of the machinery
but that officers trained as engineers are
being assigned to line duties exclusively
When Secreiary Long proposed that
Congress provide for the promotion of
warrant officers to commissioned grades,
"A delegation OF warrant machinists walt |
ed on him with a petition that their |
grade be included In those from which |
promotions might be made. The Secre- |
tary denied the petition on the ground
that the grade of warrant machinist was |
new. ard he believed that the experiment |
OF promoting other warrant officers |
should be tried before extending its scope
Then the warrant machinists went to |
Congress and succeeded in having their
grade included in the amendment for the |
promotion of warrant officers now pend |