The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1901-11-07

modern warship, and Capt. Sampson,
who stood we'll at the naval academy,
knew the details of his profession thor
oughly and had never been in an actual
engagement in his life.
Sampson was selected to be the hero
of the Spanish war but he was nnfort-
innate. He didn't find Crevera, and he
didn't destroy the Spanish fleet. The
splendid record made by Schley in the
battle seems to have angered him and
his clique, AS result of Schley's
services a number of charges were cir
culated against that officer. He was
accused of criminal delay az Cienfuegos,
of disobedience of orders, Of failing to
destroy the Colon, of withdrawing his
fleet twenty-five miles from Santiago
at night, and of cowordice in making
the ''loop."
The inquiry has been good thing.
1t has cleared the atmosphere. 1t has
scattered in discreditable fight the
slanderers and backbiters in the navy.
No fair-minded man can have read the
testimony in the case and say there is
anything rejecting upon Schley's rec
ord during the Spanish American war.
Most OF the charges brought against
him are so small as to be utterly be-
meath notice. The delay OF Cienfue-
COS has been thoroughly explained.
The disobedience OF orders consisted
in mere statement of Schley's that
"orders could not be obeyed." AS O
matter of fact the orders were NOT dis.
obeyed. The "retrograde" movement
was, at worst, but q mistake of iudg,
ment, based on the belief that Cerverf
was not in Santiago. His failure Il
destroy the Colon was due to his orders
and was certainly no more represent
BILE than SIMPSONS failure to destroy
the same ship. The charge of with
drawing his feet twenty i've miles q
night-made by Aemiral Sampson-hal
been shown to be utterly false. TIL,
fact that the "loCp" was ordered b,
Capt. Cook has disposed of the charg
of cowardice, for it has never occurred
to any of the slanderers to charge tina
officer with cowardice.
: But the inquiry has done somethin,
, more than explode every charge mad
against Schley. 1t has set that officer
conduct in an even more favorable ligh
than it was ever placed before. Thi
+, inquiry has been a prosecution. Judg
0 Advocate Lemly has been prosecutin
attorney instead of an officer who's
duty it was to present the testimon
favorable as we'll as unfavorable
o Schley. He has not discharged th
: duties of his oficeproperly. When b
Q found that machinist of the Text
d would testify that the engines had bee
~ stopped, he failed to call that witnel
because his testimony would be favo
j. able to Schley. He has not discharge
vt the duties of his Office properly. Whe
d he found that a machinist of the Tex
o would testify that the engines had N,
= been stopped, he failed to call tn
witnesses because his testimony woul
T. be favorable to Schley. He has Above
10 the unspeakable Ward, who is the ia
1t totum for the unspeakable Crownil
If shield, to prompt him in the prosecr
- tion throughout. Ward is the ms
= who has been doing the dirty work
W this trial, collecting gossip again
a Schley and trying to work up testimor
al against that officer. Hanna has been
y prosecuting spirit throughout. The
- three men have delved for everythiI
" discreditable they could find; and
3 the worst has been said and done.
le The result is that Admiral Schley
discovered to have made one of Il
greatest sea fights in ancient and mo
ern times. 1t has been shown that f
" time his flagship alone was receivir
al and returning the fire Of four Spanil
"a ships. 1t was distinctively Schley
h fight from beginning TO end. He pc
Ia formed an almost unparalleled feat
the history Of sea fighting and II
"a Brooklyn, and the commodore, and II
"a captain out TO occupy unique place
"a the honor which the republic accor'
. its great citizens. Memphis CONNIE
"a cial Appeal.