The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-07-24
PERSONNEL OF COURT
Points to Which the Inquiry VIII Be
Confined.


New York, July 24-When Admiral
| Schley was pressed last night to make
some statement of his position, he wrote
| the following sentences:
Really, I think that the matter is liable
| to take the form of a judicial investigation,
| 1t ought not be subject to an interview. I
| think action preferable to words and have
decided to act More than this ought not to
be expected to say, but will add that it is
very great pity that there should be a con-
| troversy over a matter where everybody did
his best.
When his attention was called to the
| statement of Admiral Evans that the
system of signals by which the insurgents
were to communicate to the American
ships of war the whereabouts of the Span
| ish vessels had not been given to the
Brooklyn, Schley's flagship, Admiral Schley
said that this was true, adding that he
did not know whether Sampson had this
| code of signals before the flying squadron
sailed.
Washington, July 24.-The Washington
Post Monday night telegraphed Admiral
| Schley that in an editorial it stated he
owed it to himself as we'll as to his
| friends to begin proceedings against Mr..
| Maclay, the author of the history Of the
United States navy, to disprove the lat
ters charge, adding:
''Will you do this? Please wire state
ment."
Yesterday 1t received the following tele-
gram:
Great Neck, L. l., July 2s-Editor Wash
ington PostL believe the first step should
be investigation Of all matter by a court.
then civil action afterwards. I am prepar-
ing to take this course. w. S. Schley.
The Post, as a result of extensive in
frio hoC bo ofah
says that Admiral Schley proposes to ask
| an investigation at the hands of naval
court of inquiry, and then to sue His
torian Maclay for libel. His ac
tion is the sequel to the de-
velopments during the past week, when
the entire country has been stirred by
the publication of the unexampled abuse
poured out upon him in the third vol
ume of E. S. Maclay's history of the Uni
te7 States navy, in which publication
Scnley is said to have run away sin
caitiff flight" and Is, in addition, de-
nounced as coward, a cur and traitor.
The appointment of the court of inquiry
is expected to be made by Secretary
Long, though it would be in the power of
the president to make the selections if
he chose. This is hardly likely to occur,
however.
Mr.. Long has already stated that If
Admiral Schley requested a court Of in
quiry he would grant the request, and
has also expressed his willingness to per-
sonally select the court. While he has
not made any statement as to its per-
sonnel, there is every reason to believe
that he favors Admiral Dewey and Rear.
Admirals Ramsay and Benham, the two
latter now upon the retired list The
name of Admiral Walker has been sug-
gested, but 1t is known that he has ex-
pressed views upon the Sampson Schley
controversy in antagonism to Schley, and
his appointment would, therefore, be Sc
riously questioned It is said that Dewey
Ramsay and Benham have always care
fully avoided giving an opinion as to the
merits OF the controversy.
With respect to the matters to be in
Quired into by the court of inquiry, Ad-
miral Schley condensed them in a letter
written to Senator Hale chairman of the
senate committee on naval affairs, Feb.
is, 1899. This letter divided the criti-
cisms Of himself into four heads, as fol-
lows:
First-The alleged delay off Cientuegos,
Cuba.
Second-The alleged slow progress toward
Santiago de Cuba from Cienfuegos.
Third-The retrograde movements on May
26 and 27. (This refers to the turning of the
feet from Santiago toward Key West.)
.Fourth-The battle Of Santiago and the de-
struction of Cervera's fleet
A court of inquiry differs from a court
martial in that 1t has no power to inf1ict
sentence.