The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-09-29
rrm ~ cI;eaoo Record Herags.

From tie Chicago Record Hersss.
mo UNDERSTAND correctly the Or
iEin 81 the famous dispute between
Admirals sampson and Schley Of the
n American navy i IS absolutely Eeees-
sarF that the environment OF the two
men prior 10 the Spanish-Americau war
and their physical and mental character
istics should be vel understood. When
fhese are understood. then can be appfe-
eiafei why the board Of inquiry which y
now in session in Washington VIII uin-
ulafeIv have d decision 20 make certain
10 profouDdiy affect the national navy for
since the close OF the Civil War in
1855. or rather since the famous naval
attack on Fort Fisher, there has been
slowly developing IN the national navy
two classes OF advocates or theorists Va
rious titles have been applied 70 these
classes. bur the two which seem 20 apply
the best are those of sea dogs and tao
firians The first class has been COM
POSED Of naval officers who prefer sea 10
land duty who hold that no facties can
be devised that viii meet the exigeneies
OF battle as well as sound judgment and
cool daring 0p the part of the command
ing officers. who believe naval power Is
Tor action and not for inacti0n- and who
think the English course the right one
shoot FIRST and explain afterward.
Paul Jones. Truxton. Sterrett. Farra-
gut were Of this stamp. Schley. Dewey.
Rohley ID. Evans and Clark have been 50
classified The sea dog" class is popu-
larry supposed 20 he composed OF men
who know much more of fighting than OF
politics
The last class has been made up Of
naval instructors, officers long on land
\ L.. Il kaa. ErsaN
sham battles in Washington for the last
forty wears that is. executing attacks
or making defenses on paDer. and demon
strating theoretically how an enemy could
he repulsed. II is composed largely Of Of
hcers of strong social inelinations: COM
manders and others seen at Old Point,
Newport. Norfolk and Bar Harbor every
season. II Is made up Of men having
strong political influences and strong the
ories one Of the latter being that a navy
is purely for defense. and that tactics
NAV oftener win n victory than q thir-
teen-inch gun. Admiral Sampson is at
the head Of this class. an able instructor
at ANNAPOLIS. a student always. one Of
the most profound theorists the navy has
ever known. And IL may be said as to
the two classes that President Mckinley
has always favored the latter and not the
former.
When war was declared against Spain
Rear Admiral Sampson was a captain in
the navy. Entering Annapolis in 1857.
he graduated served as lieutenant dur
ing the Civil War snd then. after the
cessation Of hostilities. gave the greater
part OF his time 60 naval instruction work
nj Annapolis lectures on torpedo work
az Newport aud perfecting plans for SUI
perimposed turrets such as are now in
use on the kearsarge. He was inspector
Of ordnance at the Washington navy
yard for three years. and chief Of the bu-
reau Of ordnance from 1893 10 1897. He
was regarded as the closest STUDENT the
navy department Possessed but was not
widely known as a naval authority until
appointed president Of the court of in
uuiry to investigate the cause Of the de
siructiou Of the Maine. This appointment
was followed by another. that of CON-
mauder-in-chief of the North Atlantic
naval station.
Rear Admiral SIMPSONS origin had
leen most humble one. He came from
nm obscure family of PALMYRA. y. T..
and worked his way upward by sheer ap-
piicatiOn 10 books and their study. lie
made n name for himself as a mathema-
ticinn and thinker but lacked the rugged
nnaiiies 81 commander and man &c sea
lie was Unfortunately sensitive. rather re
firing. rather slow. The favor which
President Mckinley showed him probably
came TO him with as much surprise as i
did to the American public. which did not
know him. Tie was advanced over the
heads Of other captains who had seer
long sea service and waited long for pro
motion for meritorioas services. Justly
or uniuStly. his elevation was charged 70
politics and 20 the great desire Of the ad-
miniSsration 10 have an ultra -conserva-
tive commander az the head Of the navy
in Atlantic waters.
- -
There the first trouble in the Sampson.
Schiey controversy started. The naval
cabal. or clique, ia Washington. fully as
strong as the army cahal. allied itself
with administration in the position that
the advancement Of Captain Sampson in
moment Of great peril 10 the country
was recognition % the "tacticianr class
al officers Offcnse was taken by the
"sea dog class Of which Captain Schley
WAS typical member The sinking q
the Maine and TIE failure q this nstioc
90 instantly attack kiaTans from the SEA
had more or less anEered the men Of Tbs
navy who believed les IN diplomacy ans
nsons In Sighting. who felt that Washing
ton. WIZ It's caoais turmoil and politics
tSsoid not appreciate q situation one-haH
as well as 4 commander on & quarter
deck az sea and flying tie stars ans
stripes
The ~ses dog men Offhe navy took III,
selection 81 cepeasn Sannson for theii
Superior Is a direct political slap at them
selves aa iniimation that no matter bow
many years q man remained 81 SEA o.
how many haftles he fought. be could b,
deprived ~ his honors at ans time BY .
landsman who had political influence
OF course the taclicians resented thi'
sort 81 talk. hnt long before Ceryers
sailed for Cuba 4 wide hreech had os1epek
in she national naTy~~a nasty oreach
broadcned every ddy BIZ gossip. recrlfa
inaliens. patty }eai0usies and al thf ether
bad things that 50 With human nature.
II should Sc written ii iEstice 70 0cts
CAPTAINS SanpSan and Sehleg that 81
this tine neither of them personally ap
pear 10 have been engaged in the sqosb
iie
Captain SCaley was az Southern birth
% rentie blood and fshtinr STOCK HI
WAS q fararite son a Maryland an i'm
puis.ge. generous msi and 3 horn CON
ranler BY Hafure he 3 dominant. eFel
az times % tFHtaiifx, he Is fierce OF
aorent Of sham, hypocrisy and preten
sions He Is FIGHTER and net sknden,
mrch zfrpaEer believer IL nationnl dig
nitF thar tie average cnakfenan- au'
Z poor eQ'iticiHn.
Il vas pbyalcaf pessihiiiig 70
Cantalns Sampson and <t1leF 70 ever 4
Personal frieHiS Nssnre, aoa Wiee "a
pefiofs aensS never have hrQlE1sf tier