Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-01
Progress Of the Schley Inquiry.


The Schley inquiry is dragging its
weary length along and while many
people are reading the reports of the
testimony given by the various naval
officers, many others are not. Much
has happened and is happening to
make public interest in the work OF
the court of inquiry less intense than
it was expected it would be when
the order for the converting of the
court was issued. On the whole, it is
probably fair statement that the
Testimony thus far has been unfavor-
able to Admiral Schley. Several of the
officers have completely contradcted
him, and there is a general agreement
OF testimony that he could have coaled
his feet at sea when he refused TO
do so, and by refusing gave the Span
ish fleet chance to escape. 1t is
interesting to note that after all he did
coal off Santiago. The reason for
his turning back to Santiago after he
started for Key West yet remains to
no developed. The country would like
to know the origin of Schley's second
thought in this respect which carried
him back to his post of duty. When
we know that we shall get at the key
of the mystery. Meanwhile whatever
may have been Schleys motive for
his strange conduct. it may be safely
said that it does not appear to have
too much zeal" AS yet there has
been little testimony as to the proper
division of the glory for the winning
of the battle of Santiago. The bulk
of the testimony has been in relation
orders and suggestions of the depart
ment. and most of it has been I'M
favorable to him.
One thing is fortunate, the court is
composed of three officers who will
return a verdict according to the facts
and will refuse to be influenced by the
Schley partisans, who, through the
newspapers and otherwise. persistent
ly seek to give a false impression as to
what is being developed by the testi-
mony. From the first. the Schley
papers have injured the cause Of their
hero and no doubt, have made him
often regret the activity of his friends
Just as this Schley scandal has
dimmed the lustre of our recent naval
achievements. so on several previous
occasions in our history have similar
unfortunate controversies. In General
Green's history of the United States
army running in the Scribner's is re-
lated an incident of the Mexican war.
As General Grant said in his mentors.
forty years after the event, the
strategy and tactics of General SCOTS
army in Mexico We're "Faultless," and
upon General Taylor. the subordinate
generals. and the fighting qualities of
the little regular army which conquer
ed Mexico. despite the opposition of
greatly superior numbers of Mexican
troops. Yet within a few months after
the war; Generals Scott, Worth. and
Pillows were put under arrest and
charged with various offc.lces. Gen.
Taylor, too, had Il just grievance
against the adminiStra ton which de-
liberately robbed him of the flower of
his troops lest he should become too
prominent politically, and which
strove otherwise to belittle his SER
vices. AS it turned out Worth got
off without a trial, Scott and Pillows
were acquitted. and Taylor actually
became President But the scandal
had cooling effect upon popular
enthusiasm over the victorious gen
oralS