The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-08-08
SCHLEY REQUEST REFUSED.

Secretary of the Navy Long Refuses It
Modify Paragraph of the Precept.
Washington, Aug. 3.-The navy de-
partment has refused to accede to Ad-
miral Schley's suggestion that the Ian
guage in the fifth specification of the
precept to the court of inquiry, in
which it is stated that he had dis
obeyed orders, be modified. The de-
partment declines to make the modifi-
cation on the ground that according to
the official records Schley acknowl-
edged he disobeyed orders, and that his
disobedience of orders was an estab
lished fact.
schley's Letter
The following are letters that passed
between Admiral Schley and the navy
department respecting the precept:
Great Neck, N. Y, July 27-Sir: have
the honor to acknowledge the receipt
of the departments communication of
July 26th inst, enclosing a copy OF the
order converting, pursuant to the re-
quest contained in my communication
of the 22d inst, court of inquiry. In
asmuch as the court is directed to in
vestigate, and after such investigation
report full and detailed statement OF
ali pertinent facts which it may deem
to be established, together with its
opinion and recommendation in the
premises, I would respectfully suggest
to the department that paragraph five
of the departments precept, which fol-
lows, The circumstances attending and
the reasons for the disobeuience by
Commodore Schley of the orders of the
department contained in it's dispatch
dated May 2S, 1898, and the propriety
Of his conduct in the premises be
modified so as to omit the Department.
expression Of opinion, and thus leave
the court free to express it's own opin-
ion in the matter. Very respectfully,
wv. S. Schley, rear admiral.
''Hon, John S. Long, secretary Of the
navy"
Longs Response.
sNavy Department, Washington. Aug
1.-Sir: The department received
your letter Of the 9th, ult., inwhichyou
acknowledge receipt Of a copy Of the
order converting. at your request, a
| court Of inquiry to investigate your
conduct during the war with Spain
and suggest that Paragraph 5 of said
order be so modified as to omit the de
partrnent's expression Of opinion and
| thus leave the court free to express Its
own opinion in that matter. In reply
you are advised the precept calls for an
| inquiry, by the court and the ascer-
| tainment of pertinent facts. For the
purpose of setting on foot this inquiry
the precept treats certain matters as es-
| tablished, such, for instance as the ar
rival Of the flying squadron off Glen
fuegos and Santiago, the retrograde
movement westward, the turn of the
Brooklyn on July Bird, 1898 and the fact
that you disobeyed orders as reported
by you in a telegram dated Kingston
May 49, 1898 in which you say: Much
to be regretted cannot obey orders OF
department. Inasmuch, however, as q
is the departments purpose that the
court shall be absolutely free to report
| If such shall be found to be the case
| that you did not wilfully disobey
orders, or that you were justified If
disobeying them, and this may be clear
| ~ understood, your letter of the 9th
ult., with copy Of this reply, will be
duly forwarded to the court.
Very Respectively,
"F. w. Hackett, Acting Secretary"