The Washington times., 1901-09-30
Circulation Statement.
A Collapsed Prosecution.

4 Collapsed Prosecution.
If the Navy Department authorities
are wise, they will see something in the
nature Of admonition in the comments
of the leading newspapers of the ccun-
try on the record of the Court of En-
quiry during last week. American
press opinion, a. anyone can easily sat
isfy himself, is all but unanimous in
the conclusion that the prosecution led
by Captain Lemly in behalf of the de-
partment, and conducted without any
attempt to conceal departmental preju-
dice against and vindictiveness toward
Rear Admiral Schley has collapsed. 1t
has not only done that, but, out of the
mouths of selected Sampsonite witness
es, whose expected testimony in most
instances had been carefully rehearsed,
the prosecution has succeeded only in
making it plain that, during the West
Indian campaign. which ended in
Schley's brilliant naval victory off San
tiago, there was a preconcerted effort
made by a number of subordinate Of
ficers to hamper and handicap him for
the purpose of rendering it difficult. if
not impossible, for him to perform his
duty successfully, and with credit
All the evidence educed by the de-
partment from its own witnesses tends
to Justify this conclusion. If We were
to call the movement, the tracks Of
which appear so plainly in the success
sive admissions that vital information
concerning the movements and location
\
modore Schley, which have been made
before the Court by naval officers.
conspiracy, the term might be regarded
as too severe. But that 1t was based
upon a common understanding, in
spired by superior authority, appears
10 be beyond question. In short, it can
not be doubted that the Navy Depart
ment was particularly anxious that it's
favorite, Captain Sampson, should reap
whatever glory was to be the outcome
of the campaign against Cervera. and
that Commodore schley. in particular.
should not have 2 chance to win
laurels.
Captain Wise. of the Harvard, joined
the Flying Squadron. after having
heard at Cape Haitien that the Span
iards were at Santiago, and after hav-
ing satisfied himself of the fact by a
personal reconnaissance outside of that
harhor; yet he refrained from notifying
Commodore Schley. Captain McCalla, /
who arranged the code Of shore signals
with the Cuban insurgents near Glen
fuegos, and which were unknown to
SchIey. did not communicate them, |
thus depriving the commander-in- |
chief Of an instant opportunity TO sat
isfy himself that Cervera was not in |
CienfUegos Harbor. McCalla did in !
struct Lieutenant Switzerland, of the /
Eagle, 20 deliver a message, not.Nhow- |
ever. including the signal code. to the !
flagship Brooklyn. Switzerland did not |
attempt TO execute this order directly. |
but megaphoned a message to one of
Commodore Schleys vessels, the Scor-
pion. According TO the testimony this
message was as follows:
I'VE lett Cicnfuegos on the night Of the 10TH
at which time as We learned from the insurgents,
the only vessels inside the haFbor were two gun |
boats and several Cannonieros.
Commodore schley never received
this report, which does not appear upon
the log or signal book of the Scorpion.
Il is but justice to Captain McCalla in
this connection 10 note his declaration
that the responsibility for the failure
to convey the above information to
Commodore Schley, is his.
Whether or not the Court and history
win hold him responsible for another |
failure to connect, remains to be seen.
Having arranged the shore signals with |
the insurgents near Cienfuegos, he pro-
ceeded to Key West, and reported the /
matter to Captain Chadwick, Captain |
SIMPSONS chief of staff Whether or
not. having done so, ii became his duty
later, to inform Commodore Schley when |
he met him at sea. is a question which
need not be discussed at this time 1t
is more important to remember that
the code was promptly communicated
TO the captains Of the Flying Squadron,
the captain Of the flagship excepted,
and Commodore Schley was kept in ig-
OF il. The reasonable deduction
from the cumulative evidence now be-
fore the country on the subject is that
this was the result Of deliberate design
As we have before remarked. and as
most of our leading contemporaries
East and West observed yesterday,
the prosecution, or persecution, OF
Rear Admiral Schley by his enemies
in the Navy Department, and their coad-
tutors in the service, has fallen fiat.
II its object had been TO convince the
American people Of a purpose to pre-
vent Commodore Schley from earning
any bonors In the West Indian cam
paign, and when he had won them glori-
ously. to rob him of them, it could not
have been accomplished more perfectly
American and English Steel.
In q recent address before the Cham