The Washington times., 1901-09-04
PRAISED BY THE PRESIDENT.
MIR. TraceweII Recalls Il Forgotten
Phase of the SchIey Cnsc.

Robert ]. Tracewell. Comptroller of the
| Treasury, has decided an appeal taken
| from the action of the Auditor for the
| Navy Department. by Cart. Charles II.
1 Davis, United States Navy, wherein the
| Auditor disallowed in Davis pay account
! the sum of S2S973 as difference between
! his pay as commander and his pay as
captain in the United States Navy from
/ August 10 to December 13, 1898, inclusive.
| The Comptroller held that an officer of
| the navy promoted in due course to fill
| a vacancy in the next higher grade is
not entitled to the pay Of the higher
grade prior to the date of the vacancy
he is promoted TO fill. although he is nom
mated for the rank and confirmed on a
prior date.
In passing on the case Comptroller
Tracewell makes reference, in illustration
OF his reasoning, to parallel instance in
the Presidents recommendation of Rear
Admiral Schley for promotion. The
! Presidents language, in recommending
I the promotion, is quoted in Mr.. Trace
I wells opinion, and is a direct contradic-
! ton of the imputations of the pseudo
historian Maclay. charging Schley with
cowardioe. The reference is to President
! McKinIeys order of August 10. 1895.
/ Mr.. Tracewell says in his decision: "On
J August 10, 1898. Commodore Winfield S.
| Schley was by the President advanced in
| numbers for heroic and conspicuous con-
duct pursuant to section 1906, Revised
/ Statutes, so as to make him rear ad-
miral and a temporary appointment was
/ issued to him reclting that he took rank
from that date"
In commenting on the aforementioned
! language of the President. Mr.. Tracewell
! and a prominent official of the Conlptroll-
er's Office suggested that Admiral Schley S
1 attorneys should take advantage of the
Presidents opinion, expressed in this rec
ommendation for advancement, and
! should offer In evidence at the Court OF
| Enquiry the Presidents acknowledgment
/ of Schley's conspicuous and heroic con-
! duct" The official thought further that
there was not anything to prevent the
! President from being subpoenaed as a
| witness for Schley.
! But" said he, that is not necessary
! All that Schley's counsel need do is tc
produce the Presidents official ncte
! which contains Sohleys promotion. IL
could not be rejected as other than good
! and permissible evidence. The President
! as the reason for the promotion, must
have been advised by the Navy Depart
I mont of Schley's heroic and conspicuous
| conduct. which would seem TO show that
at the time when the President advanced
Schley. on August TO- 1895. the Navy De
partment was Of the opinion that the hero
/ OF Santiago was really deserving of q
promotion for heroic and conspicuous
conduct 1t also seems as if the officials
! at the Navy Department have entirely
! forgotten this admission rs regards
Schley's heroism else they would not now
do anything in the world to dispute that
fact
| The movement to deprive Schley of the
credit that is due to him seems TO have
| been started after August 10, 1898. because
| it is an established fact that on that date
the powers at the Navy Department were
of the unanimous opinion that Schley de-
served Of promotion and so recommend
ed to President Mckinley.