The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-04
SAMPSON VS.. SCHLEY.
REVIEW OF THE CONTROVERSY BEFORE
COURT OF INQUIRY.
The Career OF the Two Men-when the
First Trouble Arose-Two Glasses of
Naval Omcers-.sSea Dogs''and ''Tac-
ticfans,-The Battle of Santiago.

ticians,-The Battle of Santiago.
To understand correctly the origin OF
b famous dispute between Admiral
Sampson and Admiral Schley Of the
American navy it is absolutely neces-
a that the environment of the two
men prior to the Spanish-American war,
and their physical and mental charac-
teristics should be well understood. says
a writer in the Chicago Record-Herald.
When these are understood, it can be
aKpreciated why the board OF inquiry
TxIl have a decision to make certain
To profoundly affect the national navy
for many years to come.
Since the close of the civil war in 1865,
or rather the end of the FAMOUS nava
attack on Fort Fisher. there has been
slowly developing in the national LAY
two classes Of advocates or theorists.
Various titles have been applied to
these classes. but the two which seem
to apply the best are those of sea dogs
and "tacticians." The first class has
been composed of naval officers who
prefer sea to land duty; who hold that
0O ldCliCS can De QeElSSO lndL VIII meet
the ~exlgenc1es Of battle as we'll as sound
judgment and cool daring on the part
Of the commanding officers; who believe
naval power is for action and not for in
action, and who think the English
course the right ~ourse-sho first and
explain afterwards. Paul Jones, Trux-
ton, Sterrett. Farragut were of that
stamp. Schley, Dewey, Robely d.
E73hs. Clark have been so classified.
The sea dog" class is popularity sup
posed to be composed of men who know
much more of fighting than politics.
The second class has been made up Of
naval instructors. officers long on land
duty and students. 1t has beer fighting
sham battles in Washington during the
last forty years; that is. executing at
tacks or making defense on paper, ami
demonstrating theoretically how an enc
my could be repulsed. 1t is a class
composed largely of officers Of strong
social i~nclinations. commanders and
others seen at Old Point, Newport or
Bar Harbor every season. 1t is made of
men having strong political influences
and strong theories, one of the latter
being that a navy is purely for defense
and that tactics may Oftener win a vic
tory, than a thirteen-inch gun, Admiral
Sampson is at the head of his class, an
able instructor at Annapolis, a student
at all times. one of the most profound
Ibrists the navy has ever known.
SAMPSON
When wal was declared against Spain
in 1898 by the United States Rear Ad-
miral Sampson was a captain in the
navy. Entering Annapolis i'll 1857, he
graduated. served as a lieutenant during
the civil war, n then. after the ceSsa-
ton of hOStilitieS, gave the greater part
of his time to naval instruction work at
Annapolis, lectures on torpedo work at
Newport, perfecting plans for super
~ @1>I 1rrn% oTroh oH n no 1nnr- in G IN
the Kearsarge. He was inspector of
ordnance at the Washington navy yard
three years and chief of the bureau of
ordnance from 1893 to 1897. He was
regarded as the closest student the
navy department possessed. but was
widely Known as a authority until
appointed president Of the court Of in
quiry to investigate the cause of the
Names destruction. This appointment
was Followed by another-that of COM
manGer-in-chief of the North Atlantic
naval station.
Rear Admiral SIMPSONS origin had
been a most humble one. He came
from an obscure family of Palmyra, n.
Y, and worked his way upward by
sheer application to books and their
study. He made a name fol himself
as a mathematician n thinker, but
lacked the rugged qualities of a COM
mander and man at sea. He was inor-
dinately sensitive. rather retiring, rath-
er slow. The favor which President Nc
Kinley showed him probably came to
him with as much surprise as 1t did to
the American public, which did not
know him. He was advanced over the
heads of other captains who had seen
long sea service and waited long for
promotion for meritorious services.
Justly or ~unJuStly, his elevation was
charged to politics. and to the great de-
sire of the administration to hav an
ultra-conservativs commander at the
heasfof the navy in Atlantic waters.
THE FIRST TROUBLE
aThere the first trouble in the Samp-
sbn-Schley controversy started. The
naval cabal, or clique. in Washington,
fully as strong as the army cabal, al
lied itself with the administration, in
the position that the advancement OF
Captain Sampson at a moment of great
peril was recognition of the "tactician''
slass of officers. Offense was taken
by the "sea dog class. of which Cap
tain Schley was a typical member. The
sinking OF the Maine and the failure OF
this nation to instantly attack Havana
from the sea had more or less angered
the men of the navy who believed less
in diplomacy and more in fighting, who
felt that Washington. with cabals, tur-
moil and politics, could not appreciate
a situation one-half as we'll as a. com.
mander on a quarter deck at sea anG
nyins&the stars and stripes.
s. Th8 sea dog men of the navy tool
the selection Of Captain Sampson fol
their superior as a direct political slaI
at themselves; IN Inclination hat NJ
matter how many years a mar remain
ed at sea nor how many battles h
thought, he could be deprived OF his hon
= ors at any time by a Iandsman who hat
political influence. OF courS the "tac
ticians'' resented this sort of talk, blu
long before Cervera sailed for Cuba
wide breach had opened in the nationa
navy-a nasty breach. ~broadened ever!
day by gossip. recriminations, petit.
~jeaIousies and all the other bad thing
that go with human nature. 1t SHOULD
be written in justice to both Captains
Sampson and Schley tE@t at this tim'
neither Of them pere2-ly appear t
have engaged III theS2<~bble.
Captain Schley waSof southern birth