Sunday morning globe., 1901-08-18
THE MACLAY CRITICISMS
In the Society Mirror and the IncOn-
SiStencies Pointed Out.
TO EDITOR GIOBE:

SistencieS Pointed Out.
To EDITOR GLOBE:
George AIDE, in his first volume of
Fables in Slang" mentions the coun-
try editor who wrote his dramatic col
umn from a progam brought from TIE
theatre. 1t would seem from a certain
criticism Of the third volume of
Maclay's history Of the navy that the
talented writer who signs himself the
Reviewer" has followed his tactics
Under date Of July 20, he commented
upon the above book, an. I'm part his
remarks read as follows:
1T is occupied chiefly with the
history Of the Spanish American war
from a navy point of view, Of course
and than this there has been no more
ju8t unbiased and always interesting
account. Above all else the
author has worked for authenticity
"One feels that If the truth is not here
IL is not to be gotten There
is a certain amount Of harmless, so
called blow in the book With the
possible exception of Schley and to a
lesser degree, General Shafter, there
is no one in the Navy Cor Army who
does not share the authors widespread
laud. This is SO small a weakness in
a book otherwise so sound as to be al
most uHtDOrthy Of notice"
The italics are my own; the extracts
are copied from the Mirror Of the be-
fore mentioned date as it lays before
me.
Perhaps there have been some people
who have allowed "The Reviewer" to
influence them i'm the choice of litera-
ture. If so the above is conclusive,
proof that they have been leaning upon
broken reed. The article plainly
shows that the writer had never seen
the book; that he got his opinions
second hand, and that he had not the
slightest idea Of that whereof he
speaks. Either that or he has not even
the modicum of brain shown by the
other contributors Of current events,
whose articles appear in the Mirror.
If that was his candid opinion, how are
we to reconcile it with the views Of
his fellow contributor, that scandalous
and scurrilous person, who signs him
self "The Gossip and who meekly
shows his ignorance of the subject of
which he writes in his spiteful personal
attacks, the also attempted wit and
has a weakness for airing French
words and phrases.
THE Gossip" however, is on the
right side Of the fence this time; a
little too much so If anything, and
that is where another member of the
Mirror staff lays himself open to criti-
cism Cor perhaps the former and the
latter are identical. 1t would be quite
probable). How can the editor of any
paper so far forget himself as to allow
a paragraph to appear in one issue Of
his paper and in all the following is
sues to print those emphatically dlsa-
greeing with st? "The Gossip" under
date of July Goth. discourses IN the
following manner
Nothing is known of the author Of
the book except that he is a day labor
er in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and this
is the kind Of man whose book Admiral
Crowninshield accepts to become the
standard of naval history at the acade-
my Maclay is known to be an ire
sponsible individual who has never
been possessed of any particular stand
ing in any community, and his charac-
ter has been the subject of more or less
discussion. Maclay
is rewarded for his assaults on Rear
Admiral Schley by being given a small
position in the Brooklyn Navy Yard"
Now of course THE Gossip" is war
ranted in becoming heated and losing
the grasp which ne holds on his won
derful mentality,(?) but he should
learn to be accurate in his statements
and the lack of foundation for many
of his stories is one Of his crowning
glories. In the first place Maclay is
not a day laborer. He is rated as a
special laborer," and performs clerical
duties in the Department of Supplies
and Accounts at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard. The term Special laborer' is
rating In use at the Navy Department
to denote members Of the civil force
not specifically appropriated for by
Congress, and receiving a PEE diem
In the second place he
secured his position by a legal, civil
service transfer from the position of
Light House Keeper at Setauket Long
Island, N. Y, and was transferred to
his position in the early part of 1900,
before his third volume was scarcely
began.
Now / am not upholding Maclay He
has made some very libelous and dis
statements regarding the
character Of one of our best naval Off
GERS. I have no doubt that all these
charges are false and will be adjudged
so by the court Of inquiry. / cannot
see how they can fail to be. However
let us have the truth about him even
II he has not told it Of others He is
4 quiet, studious, man Of sober and in
habits. and has no reproach
against his name. Because a man as
Derses anothers character is no reason
why we should adopt his course, which
we condemn
"The Gossip is in the habit Of gross
" misstat!ng everything when he
starts to roast" Whenever he at
.empts to do something Of this kin1
ne "hys off his hammer" and reminds
me Of a hysterical shrieky specimen
If femininity.
As for The Reviewer" / think his
lelicate brain should rest for a while |
" Il will break down. IL is evidently |
90 weak to read the books he purpOrts |
o criticise.
A LOVER OF JUSTICE.
An Englishman had hired a smart |
servant and on arriving at |
an inn one evening knowing well the |
Of police regulations in Aus,
ria, where he then was, he called for |