New-York tribune., 1901-12-18
7tK1yc 4DVTR4L DEWET's JUDGMENT

Referring 70 the findings of the Schley Court
of INQUIRY General Nelson A. Miles saiu III
Cincinnati on Monday: II am willing TO take
| .tbe Judgment of Admiral Dewey IN the lla'-
49,. I believe his opinions Will be IN
! ..dorsed by the patriotic people OF the ni'eu
STATES The position thus adopted by the gen
oral commanding the army has been prollpu'
announced as their own by many oiheF peleoi''
of more or less prominence. Indeed from 'ne
utterances Of those members OF congress- pun
1Ic mon in various parts of the country and prl-
vate citizens who have been siGnlrElns 'heIl
devotion TO Admiral Schley during the last TWO
raars we are led to infer that his partisans are
almost universally disposed to accept Aunlirai
Dewey's conclusions.
ya bave observed some irritable comments
on the subject attributing a radically di1tefenl
view of it to The Tribune. but they are "Hol4S
rncalled for. We have felt from the nrst lhd'
it did not become laymen to pronounce JUG
ment on professional questions Whlch hdu peen
submitted to competent tribunal OF na'al oin
GERS of high rank and impartial temper, pu'
that when that tribunal had rendered lts YER
6irt il should be accepted by the pubic as just
and decisive. We have thus consistently ue
cIared our own acceptance of the court hnu
ings in their entirety, but we see no spec4ai
rooson for regret or censure II others prefer to
Including. of course. his reversal of the Navy
Denartment and the Federal courts on point
concerning which he refused to admit par
+icIa of testimony throughout the inquiry
Waving therefore the comparatively unlmpor-
tant questions contained in the precept as TO
which he has noted a disagreement with MS
colIes o11es let Us consider those nnulnSs III
which he concurred, il order that II may De
made clear lust what General Miles and others
must mean by saying that they take the JudG-
ment of Admiral Dewey in the matter. Inc
court, then. unanimously found:
That Commodore Schley should not have
"made the retrograde turn westward with his
squadron
That "he should have promptly obeyed the
Navy Departments order of May %.
That "he should have endeavored TO capture
"or destroy the Spanish vessels at anchor near
1.-The entrance of Santiago Harbor on May -
"and 90"
That "he did not do his utmost with the force
under his command to capture or destroy the
Colon and other vessels OF the enemy winch ne
attacked on May 81"
That "by commencing the engagement on July
"3 with the port battery, and turning the Brook
sIyn around with port helm, Commodore Schley
caused her TO lose distance and position with
1.-The Spanish vessels. especially with the Viz
"caya and Colon"
That 'the turn Of the Brooklyn to starboard
was made 70 avoid getting her into dangerous
proximity to the Spanish vessels. The turn
was made toward the Texas. and caused that
vessel to stop and to back her engines TO avoid
possible collision.
That Admiral Schley did injustice TO Lieu
tenant Commander a. c. Hodgson in publish
ling only portion Of the correspondence which
passed between them"
That Commodore Schley's conduct in con-
''nection with the events of the Santiago cam
..paign prior to June l. 1898. was characterized
.by vacillation. dilatoriness and lack of enter.
prise
That ''his official reports regarding the coal
supply and the coaling facilities Of the Flying
SQUADRON were inaccurate and misleading.
The court also unanimously found. to the
great satisfaction of the country, which believed
and expected nothing else, that Commodore
Schley's conduct during the battle of July 3
was self-possessed, and he encouraged, in his
'own person. his subordinates, officers and men,
ito fight coura geously
Such are the conclusions of the court which
Admiral Deweys concurrence made unanimous
If Admiral Schley's special friends really accept
as they say they do, Admiral Deweys judg-
ment in the matter. the country is agreed as to
the main questions submitted TO the court, and
an unhappy controversy is ended