Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-25
COURT Of INQUIRY ASKED
By REAR ADMIRAL SCHLEY.
THE LETTER RECEIVED BY SEC.
RETARY LONG. OF THE NAVY,
YESTERDAY.
THE REQUEST RANTE D.
WILL BE HELD IN WASHINGTON IN
SEPTEMBER-DEw MAY
PRESIDE.

WASHINGTON, July 24.-Secretary
Long this morning received letter
from Rear Admiral Schley. calling at
tention TO the criticisms against him
which are contained in Maclays history
of the navy and the innendoes which
have appeared in the press for several
| days and stating that, in his opinion,
| the times had now come to take such
| action as would bring the entire mat
ter under the CLEAR and calm review of
his brothers in arms" He asked that
the department take such action as was
! deemed best TO accomplish this purpose.
The Secretary Immediately decided to
comply with Admiral Schley's request.
He then called Rear Admiral Crown
inshield and Captain Gowles, chief and
assistant chief respectively of the bureau
| OF navigation, and also Judge Advocate
General Lemly, who has charge of for
| malities of naval courts. He also sent
| for Admiral Dewey. Although Rear
| Admiral Schley did not ask specifically
! for court of inquiry, the Secretary de-
cided that the best means of making
| the investigation. After hir conference
| with Admiral Dewey the Secretary said
that he had not had time to decide upoh
| the composition of the court. but in re-
spouse to a question as to whether hd-
miral Dewey would serve upon such a
court, If requested to do 50. the Secre-
| tary said Admiral Dewey will do his
| duty" Although no positive declara-
| ton has been given on this point 1t is
| assumed about the navy department
| that Admiral Dewey will be preh?ent of
the court There also is an impression
that the two other members of the court
| will be retired naval officers or at least
| officers who had no connection with the
Santiago campaign. The selection of
| retired officers would have a double adj
vantage. Not only would they be ice
| from any prejudice growing out of their
| active connection with the department,
consequences arising from their course.
| The court OF inquiry probably will not
| proceed with Its work until fall Sec
rotary Long said to-day that it would
| be unfair to ask a court of inquiry TO
convene in Washington during the pres
| ent extremely hot weather for the prose-
cution of an inquiry which promised to
be quite protracted.
Admiral Schley's letter is as follows
8" GREAT NECK, L. l., N. Y,
July %, 1901.
Sir:-Within the past few days a SER
| les of press comments have been sent
| to me from various parts Of the coun-
| try of a book entitled. The History
| of the Navy, written by one Edgar
| Stanton McClay. From these reviews
| it appears that this edition is third
| volume of the said history extended to
include the late war with Spain, which
| the two first volumes did not contain
| and were in use as text books at the
| naval academy.
| 90 From excerpts quoted in some
| reviews, in which the page and para
! graph are given there is such perver-
| sion of facts, misconstruction of intcn
J
| famation Of myself which subjects Mr..
Maclay to action in civil law While |
admit the right of fair criticism of
every public officer / must protest
| against the low filings and abusive Ian
guage of this violent, partisan oppon-
ent, who has infused into the pages of
his book so much of the malice of un-
fairness as to make it unworthy the
name of history, or of use in any repu-
| table institution of the country.
81 have refrained heretofore from all
| comment upon the innuendoes of enc
mics muttered or murmured in secret
| and therefore with safety to them
selves. | think the time has now come
| to take such action as may bring this
| entire matter under discussion under
| the clearer and calmer. review of my
| brothers in arms, and TO this end ask
/ such action at the hands of the depart
ment as it may deem best to accom-
plish this purpose.
4. But | would express the request
in this Connection that whatever the
action may be that 1t occur in Wash
| ington where most of my papers and
data are stored.
Very respectively,
wv. S. SCHLEY,
Rear Admiral U. S. N"
ITO the Secretary of the Navy, Wash
ington, ID. c."
Secretary Long replied to Admiral
| Schley as follows:
Navy Department. Wash, July "a
"Sir-I am In receipt of yours OF
22nd instant with reference to the
4 criticisms upon you in connection
with the Standardization war and
/ heartily approve OF your action under
! the circumstances in asking at the
+ hands of this department such action
as may bring this entire matter und-
er discussion under the clearer and
calmer review OF my brothers in
arms"
"The department will at once pro-
coed in accordance with your request
Very respectively.
L "IOHN d LONG"