El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-21

Justice to Rear Admiral William L.
SAMPSON L. S. navy, acknowledged
bv some of the best European author
tiles. by all our own officers except an
almost infinitesimal coterie. as tine
greatest (proved) sea commander alive
toby, means a derogation from the
hCtors ascribed to W1nheld Scott
Schiey by many who do not, and by
some who do. know better There is
nothing to be gained by blinking at
this question and still less by refusing
Samson and his immediate command
ers rewards they earned by months or
service because in his Fourth OF July
disuatch. Sampson did not mention
SchIey's name All things considered
and from the point of view or mere
policv it would have been better 1or
Sampson to have named Schley parlicu,
larIy. instead of generally-for he dld
include him in speaking of the OIL
GERS under his command. At the time
of the naval battle at Santiago, now
ever. and for some time prior TO that
event. Schley had earned for hlmselI
the earnest disapprobation, not only Oh
his commanding officer but OF such cap
tains as Philip, Evans, Clark, Hlggln-
son. Sigsbee. Barker, McCalla, Good
rich and. host of commanders, lieu
tenant commanders. lieutenants and
epsipns The time has been reached
when there is nothing to be gained In
suppressing truth although the Times,
as much as any newspaper can, depre-
cafes the reopening of an unpleasant
controversy. Granting that it would !
have been better policy. as we sald
above for Sampson to nave named /
ScbIey. the testimony even of the last
named commanders officers. could II ]
be made public. would prove that the
navy did not regard Schley as entitled
to credit; that today he is almost Win
out friends in his profession and tnat
at the time of the great victory-the
greatest naval victory of the war
Samson was regarded almost WIN
generation. was trusted implicitly was
honored highly and retains TO TINS uay
the esteem, the confidence and the al
lection of all who served under, or
with. him. Naval officers can only tes-
tify 20 facts when a court of inquiry is
held and such a court Schley Will new
er ask for
In the navy itself Schley's greediness
of advancement and aspirations Tor
Mace and power are well known III
Is also known that he is morally umid
He is not openly accused OF physicai
fear. but it is a provable proposition |
that upon more than one occasion /
when rigid determination was required
and the taking of high responsibility
became one of the necessities OF the
occasion, Schley was found wanting
An instance of the character of the
man was given as long ago as the res
cue of Greeley. the Arctic explorer.
Schiey was in command of the Bear
upon that occasion and delayed the res
cue. when the dead and dying explo-
rers were visible from the mast head.
in order that ne and his staff might,
bv his order, don full dress,and that
the ships photographer might have IA
cliities afforded to perpetuate the
scene of the rescue en- the film OF inc
camera There is no possible dis
pute of the facts which are OF record IN
the navy department that when Schley
went TO CienfuegoS he deliberately
frittered away time, insisting that Ger
vera's fleet was in that harbor,
when he could have found out to the {:
within ten hours after his ar I;
rival-as McCalla did when he join {
ed Schley's squadron in the Marble :
head that Schley refused to obey Or s
iers in proceeding to Santiago insist |
ing that he must go to neutral port /
to coal; that when it was pointed out 5
10 MIN by Captain Cook and other Of {
ficers of the Brooklyn" that he was I
grave error, he recon- s
,idered and did go to Santiago but '