New-York tribune., 1901-07-25
SCHLEY ASKS FOR COURT.
REQUEST PROMPTLY GRANTED BY SEC
RETARY LONG
ADMIRAL DEWEY TO BE PREsIDENT-IM-
PORTANCE OF THE CASE.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

GBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEl
Washington, July 24.-The great scandal Of the
Santiago naval campaign is at last to he clearly
and calmly reviewed by a court of inquiry con-
sistng of the admiral Of the navy ITS presi-
dent. and two other officers of the highest rank,
selected probably from the retired list. whose
names will he announced tomorrow. The court
will meet at the Navy Department the second
week In September and its sessions according to
Secretary Longs present expectations. will be
public The court will review the "entire mat
ter of the naval operation in West Indian
waters from the arrival of Cervera in the Carib-
bean and the simultaneous departure of Schley's
squadron from Hampton Roads. SIMPSONS fleet
being then San Juan Porto Rico. to the
destruction Of the Spanish ships on July b as
well the development of the controversy in
occurrences since that time. Secretary Long in
his precept to the court intends TO set restric-
tons upon its authority to make the investiga-
ton comprehensive and exhaustive in the hope
that the most injurious and deplorable conten-
tion that has affected the American service
afoat may he settled beyond further dispute
This action is taken at the instance of Rear
Admiral Winfield Scott Schley. whose letter is
published in another column. with Secretary
Longs reply The date selected for the
sembling of the court has been chosen with a
view giving ample time for the counsel in the
/
upon which It is recognized the judgment of the
court will largely depend. nearly all Of the es-
sential facts in the being matters or or
fetal record. The court will also have ample
opportunity finish it's deliberations before the
meeting Of Congress, and perhaps before Ad-
mira Schley reaches the age of compulsory re-
trement October 9.
The Schley Court, It will hereafter be
popularity known. will be essentially unique IN
In frat
barred from the customary purpose Of courts
OF inquiry, that of recommending further Ju-
dicial proceedings even should II establish cul-
pability in any degree the part OF officers TOT
occurrences during the period Of hostilitles with
Spain. there being virtually a statute OF hmita-
tiors in naval jurisprudence debarring a court
martial from cognlzauce OF acts two years past
The findings of the court even In the opinion OF
extreme opponents OF Admiral schley, VIII
neither Justify nor fail 10 denounce such in
temperate criticisms OF Admiral Schley as ap-
peared in MacIay's history and in partisan news
papers. But the two great questions the court
will be called upon to answer. without hndlhs
single guiding precedent in the American ser
vice, are: What errors Of Judgment, II any ana
committed in the Santiago naval campaign. and
whether II time OF war ordinary error OF
Judgment not productive of disaster is criminal
offence. meriting public disgrace!
The court will doubtless have IT'S attention
chilled by counsel 10 a number OF apparent er-
ro-s of judgment on the part OF various officers
which occurred in the campaign on the south
coast of Cuba, and VIII be called upon 10 weigh
the relative gravity of all such errors and their
relation TO and dependence upon each other In
all naval establishments there Is a much
sircter code than in the corresp sponding military
arm ashore. On the sea the victory or defeat If
not only decisive, but It IS almost invariably
Is
Nowhere is II so true In both the hghting
arms of a nation that nothing succeeds Ike
success well as the reverse OF that common
saying which would have TO read that nothing
is so damned as failure and in the navy.
commander Is generally out of constant contact
with the central government. the responsibilities
| in posed upon him are greater than upon
| officer Of similar rank ashore. The naval officer
| frequently has to settle involved international
| complications on the spur Of the moment. 1t is
| constantly required that he shall have greater
| latitude OF instructions and superior discretion
| is Indispensable to him, So while his reward
| may be greater. his punishment at times is
| likely 10 be There Ia therefore the
| greatest of principles involved in the Schley
| court and it's proceedings and results GER
tain to be of tremendous importance not only in
the United States but to all modern navies
Among all the errors Of judgment that
/
vice in the Spanish war, the part OF various
| officers under the stress of emergency none had
| such serious results 10 demand the prompt
| exercise Of disciplinary measures No American
! ship lost or injured save the Merrimao. and
| that deliberately; no Spanish ship escaped no
| distinct reverse took place ashore afloat. and
| there no parallel 10 the case of the British
| Admiral Byng at Minorca who was deemed
worthy of punishment by death. In fact, the
| only recent instance recalled OF an American
| naval officer being disciplined for an error of
| judgment was that Of Captain Sefridge, now the
| junior retired rear-admiral Of that name, who
| made use of a seemingly unused japanese island
| for target practice, sacrificing the lives of five
| natives, and for this lack of caution a simple
| reprimand was administered.
Naval officers generally in Washington have
no doubt that Admiral Dewey and the
| other two members OF the court OF in
! qury will, in their finding of facts estab-
! lish number of OF Judgment in
| the Santiago campaign, most of them trivial
! alone but more important when taken in con-
nection with developments that have hitherto
| appeared to be only obscurely related to them.
| These In most instances involved not the dis
cretion of single officer. but of several They
| are matters of record, and the appea rance of
witnesses before the court will not be absolutely
| indispensable 10 establish their connection with
| the controversy The chief interest will centre
| in the manner of their presentation by the dis
| tlngulshed counsel who will undoubtedly appear
In the case. and the verdict of the court II is an
! tlcipated. Will depend almost wholly upon the
Importance OF these errors upon the general con-
! duct of the campaign. The proceedings will be
battle OF arguments to the latitude of dis
creton reposed in officers the extent of account
| ability for non-executon of condic+ipg orders
ana. above ALL the magnitude Of errors of iudg-
meht which did not injuriously affect the grand
| result " o.
ADMIRAL SAMPSON PLEASED
| Boston, July A-Rear- Admiral Sampson said
! day: