The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-13
The Burenu of Nnvigntion.

1
had with an unnamed Senator, on the
subject of the Schley Court of Enquiry
| The Senator, who was non-partisan in
the matter expressed the view that
| self-interest would prevent the navy
| ring conspirators against Rear Admiral
| Schley from causing that officer to be
unfairly treated by the department in
| the course of the investigation He said
that the Navigation Bureau clique, for
instance. had reason to fear, If the
Court of Enquiry should take on the
| semblance of prosecution and trial
! rather than an impartial inquest. that
! Congress might take the matter in
hand, and in that event. said the Sena-
| tor, the investigation will not end with
| simple enquiry into the conduct of
Admiral Schley during the West Indian
campaign. The whole naval system will
be examined into, both as to its theory
and the practices under it. The Ad-
ministration of the Navy Department.
the method of making details, the prac-
tice with reference to continuation of
service on special detail, whether fav-
oritism is shown and what influences
operate in determining the policy of
the department with reference to the
service proper. or to the treatment CT
individual officers, will all be gone into
thoroughly if Congress is compelled to
deal with the question
Right here ii occurs to us to remark
that if even single Senator knows as
much of the inner workings of the de-
partment. and particularly of the Nav
igation Bureau. as the Suns" inform
ant evidently does. it is the duty of
such a person to lay his facts and evil
dence before Congress and the country
at the earliest opportunity. We can
not agree to the proposition that by
pretending fairness to Rear Admiral
Schley the creatures responsible for
the nefarious and disgraceful practices
which have brought our naval service
into contempt and ridicule. thereby
should earn immunity from the proper
consequences of their offences against
right and decency. The Suns" Sem
ator Is quoted as saying:
q; Congress went into the matter there
wouiG be a desire 10 know whether assignments
TO desirable special duty open to all officers
of the service in turn, whether they are
confined within narrow limits. and also whether
is taken in special instances that an officer
whatever changes Of detail may become noces-
s.ry, shall never have any except desirable duty
II there Is Clique in the navy. if there is dis
tinct bureau service. If certain officers exercise
an undue influence over the naval establishment
to effect its policies and the welfare of other
officers. II will be very indiscreet the part
Of those looking out for their own interests
to let their feeling get much the better of
their judgment rs TO attempt any evident in
Justice in dealing with Admiral Schley. Per-
fectly fair and impartial conduct will be de-
handed in this case, and the only way to avoid
Congressional enquiry will be 10 make it mani
fest that injustice has been attempted. do
not believe that, however malignant the feeling
toward Schley may be, the who are inter
ested in preserving the system which they n
JOY the benefit of will be unwise enough to
tempt Congress to go into the matter and make
clean sweep through the department.
The closing sentences of the above
paragraph SAVIOR too much of an offer
to condone corruption and permit II to
go on unmolested, in consideration of
abstention from persecution and per-
jury in a particular case, to appeal
favorably to the public mind. Half what
the anonymous. but well posted Sen
ator' asserts or hints at should make
it mandatory upon Congress to ''go into
the matter and make a clean, sweep
through the department" without the
least reference to the Sohley case.
The unknown statesman is credited
with an observation, in connection With
one phase of the Sampson scandal. that
is worth careful consideration. 1t is as
follows:
1.-THE Court Of Enquiry may not go into the
question OF Simpsons elevation above the heads
of other officers at the very beginning OF the
war when he had no record of special dis
tinction and. far the world knows. had
not shown that he possessed qualifications
pcrior TO those Of his senior officers but Congress
would be interested in knowing something about
that Independently Of its relations to the mat
ter of Admiral SciIley's conduct during the cam
naiSn. the system which admits of such action by
the department, and the method by which the
superiority of junior officer over his seniors is
determined. and what influences may affect the
selection of officer for special arbitrary dis
tinction, require some explanation"
The Court of Enquiry certainly will
not go into the matter of Captain
SIMPSONS "gunboat" elevation over
the heads of two commodores, if the
Navy Department can prevent It. That
is too dangerous a subject to be touch
ed upon If any way to avoid 1t can be
found. But Congress ought 20 investi-
gate the circumstances of that eleva-
ton, for the reason, If for no other,
that it was accomplished in violation
of the law. The statute on which the
pretended authority for making the
jump is based, permits the President
to assign Junior officer in grade, not
lower than that of lieutenant COM
"a, h
in the same grade. 1t does not author
ize the assignment Of a lieutenant COM
mander TO take rank and command
over commanders, commanders over
captains, nor captains over commo-
dores II ii did, IL would be competent
for Crowninshield-capta and ex-of-
ficio rear Misunderstanding in the name
of President Mckinley. to assign Ad-
mirai Dewey to the command of one
squadron, Rear Admiral Schley to an
other, and then combine them, and put
kissing Bug Hobson over the heads of
both as "commander-in-ch chief" One of
the ablest ''sea lawyers in the United
States, after careful study of the
case, a year ago, advised this Journal
that Captain Sampson never legally
commanded the feet in the West In
dia campaign, and beyond any posi-
BILE question. never when Commodore
Schley was within hailing distance; the
"gunboat commission" of the former
as acting rear admiral" having been
In plain defiance of law, and hence null
and void. No. that topic is one that in
81,