Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-10

Santiago that he began to make the
I serious breaks that have done so
much 10 weaken him in the pablo
estimation. Undoubtedly he was a
bitterly disappointed man.
Ex-Sccrc;ary Of War tigcr indicates
in his book ON the Spanish war now
in press. that SIMPSONS. course from
this on may be largely attributed II
this fact He rays: After the 30 of
July the admiral's conduct may be due
! to the keen disappointment resulting
from his non participation in the en-
gagement with Cervera's squadron.
Possibly he felt that Skaters request
for a conference on the morning of July
60. innocent though it was. wasrespon-
sible Tor his being deprived of the honor
of actively participating as command
ses'-in- chief inNone OF the most vemark-
: able victories Yin the annals of naval
warfare
1 1t was natural enough that Sampson
should strive to hold all the credit for
this victory that he could. In this he APP
pears to have over-reached himself.
His dispatch to the department an
nouncing the great victory read as
follows:
THE fleet UNDER MY COMMAND
| offers the Nation as a Fourth of July
/ present the destruction of Cervera's
(, fleet No one escaped SAMPSON"
! While this method of stating the fact
of the battle may be technically cor
rect it is practically misleading. For
several days after the battle. as a
result of it. the public labored under
| the delusion that Sampson personally
directed the movements of the Ameri
| can fleet in that event.
There is no need 20 discuss the ques-
| ton of whether or not this dispatch
| was broad in its tone or generous in
its spirit. 1t speaks for itself.
The claim has been made that it was
not written by Sampson but by
| a member of his staff act
, ing as his secretary in the mat
ter. This is immaterial. The fact re-
mains that it was submitted to him
and sent with his knowledge and ap-
prevail. 1t was the official report of
| the COMMUNICATIVE chief of the Ameri-
can fleet to the navy department at
Washington.
There can be no question but what
this unfortunate dispatch did much to
prejudice Admiral Sampson with the
American people.
| 1t was a trifling blunder. however.
| compared to one he committed last
| February. one of the most efficient
men in the navy was gun Captain
| Charles Morgan. whose record in the
war with Spain was exceptionally
| brilliant Morgan vas a young man
| only &c years of age. OF clean char
| acter. and exceptional abilities. 1t
was not surprising that such a man
after 10 years of faithful service.
should seek advancement in rank.
and when he applied for a commission,
| under the new law, as an ensign. h.
! naturally expected that Sampson
would endorse him for such recogni-
ton. This the ADMIRAL failed to do.
After bearing testimony that the APP
plicant had good professional ability"
a ''gentlemanly bearing" and that If
he weretto be commissioned as an en-
sign he would probably compare
favorably both professionally and in
personal conduct and bearing with
on to oppose his promotion on social
grounds, He said: While it is true
that these men are selected from a
| large class of men of very unusual
ability, which distinguishes them as
perhaps the profe ssional equals of their
officers as far as their technical edu
cation stands, it is also true that they
are recruited from class Of men who
have not had the social advantages
that are requisite for a commissioned
officer
| tpoii tiiiS tSIiNSSioii a.
the time the Journal said: Such Ian
suage might be expected in mon
archy. but it sounds strangely out of
place in a country where the open
road of opportunity stretches out be-
fore every ambitious youth who has
the character and the courage to avail
himself of it; where possibilities Of the
presidency itself may be wrapped up
in the ragged jacket of any boy who
has within himself the force and
brains to aspire to it. A man who
has worked his way up to an officer S
berth in our navy by the sheer force
of his own merit, could be depended
upon to accept general invitations.
which Admiral Sampson appears tt
think bear so important a place in tbs
line of duty. without bringing any
discredit upon himself or the service
1t would be a strange thing indeed II
the watchword OF our navy should be
abandon hope all We who are moi
graduates of Annapolis"-andy yet Ad-
miral Sampson does not hesitate to ex-
press the opinion that '.the proper
, place." of all those who do not enter
the service through this favored door