The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-09

the lows IN May, 1877. Up to that time,
intsrGrt practice 2 man was marked merely
for tho accuracy Of his fire. Underth system
introduced by Sampson, he was marked for
accuracy and rapfdity. q rapidity was
really the controlling factor; so that, for
instance. II Q man fred three or four shots
per. minute from a rapid fire gun and they
ali landed on the target HIS mark was prac-
tically zero. The result Of this, and Of the
consequent sub-calibre practice which he
insisted upon. was that the rapidly of our
IRE at santiago swept the eneIny's decks
clear and largely prevented their injuring
u9,
Seventh: Drilling OF the crews, &c.
Admiral Sampson became Chief-of-Staf
and drllmaster OF the first American feet
OF battleships, and from May, 1897, until the
outbreak. OF the war. just a year later. the
crews Of all the vessels which fought in
me North Atlantic Squadron were drilled
under his personal instruction.
-Eighth: The drill and training necessary
for bringing the individual vessels together.
Under this head the same Ia true az under
NO. 2. He prepared a system OF drills, Of
course, a. Chiof-of-staf, and looked out
for the formation Of a battle feet. The
squadron, from the latter part Of 1897 until
April 20, 1893. was drilled constantly, and
all OF these drills were under his super
vision, and most Of them were under his
personal direction, except during the time
hat he was on the Maine Court Of Inquiry.'
In substance. therefore, Sampson de-
signed n built the guns. designed and
built tho projectiles. designed and built
the armor: placed the batteries upon the
ships and supc1ntended their construc-
ton, wrote the drlll-book. drilled the crews
and the officers, and. finally, tool charge OF
the feet and fought IL through a success
full war.
HIS APPOINTMENT TO n NAVAL ACADEMY.
One afternoon in late September. forty
fve years ago, a group of oilers in the lit
tie mid-State hamlet of Palmyra congre-
gated in the village grocery, lazily awaiting
the distribution Of the daily mail. Out
side, the eun-rays. glancing from the red
and gold leaves Of the trees hat fringcd
the quiet street, fell upon two bowed figures
laboriously working on the road In the
parlance of the countryside. One, n nan
already old, with bent shoulders, rugged
features and grizzled chin-whiskers. plod-
dinghy welded the pick with a steady
persistence that seemed the greater part
of his nature. The other, n hoy whose re-
markable beauty Of face attracted attention
among those who had always known
him.. and whose grace of figure could not
be concealed by the rough working-clothes
he wore, worked away cheerfully, shovel
ing where the other digged IA If he had some
thing 70 do, and wa bound 20 do It. There
was a little stir In the store. One of the
idlers came TO the worn step, and hold
ing an envelope over his head called out.
Here's a big letter for you. Will" The
boy in the road looked up. flushed a little,
and advancing took the missive and put it
in tho pocket of his jeans.
is it tn 'p'intment, WHIP" queried the
man on the doorstep. while the little throng
inside looked on somewhat curiously.
Il hope 40" answered the boy steadily,
but l must take IL home first"
Then he went back to his shoveling.
and not till the work day was over did he
scurry home. and open the precious letter.
his mothers eyes grew dim as she
read that William Thomas Sampson was
appointed a midshipman in the Navy Of
he United States.
Thus the future Admiral received his ap-
pointment TO the Naval Academy All
Palmyra knew that he had been studying
10 equip himself for il. and all the folk
sympathized with him, in the lazy village
even though some Of the matrons
we're inclined TO deride Hannah SIMPSONS"
ambition for her boy. Congressman
Moi gan. of Aurora, had the appointment
his gift. He had fixed upon another
BOY. the son of comparatively wealthy
influential residents Of the chief
own OF his district. That boys
fearful for her son OF the horrors
81 a military life, refused TO allow him
take il, so young Sampson got the COW
sted prize. He had nothing but his merit
recommend him.
HIS ANCESTRY.
Sampson was then IS years old. Twen-
.y-one years before. his father, James
and his mother. Hannah Walker,
1ad come to the land Of promise from the
north OF Ireland carrying their worldly
possessions. They met, married and
settled at Palmyra, in Wayne
in the woods. The future Admiral
had no sea-surroundings to nurture his
or shape his boyhood longings.
Until the day he went to Annapolis the only
ra ging deep" he knew was that afforded by
Erie Canal flowing by his door.
The stock that Las furnished so much
good material in men Of thought ard action
he world over was S~ampson's. He VA
II S~cotch-lrish descent. Both his mother
md father were Presbyterians. James
SIMPSONS life was n Of manual toll.
he was Of stolid demcanor and rough eX-
erior, bit his n%eighbors remembered him
Is a man Of strict honesty and logged.
wen obstinate persistence. His lack Of
perhaps not noteworthy in view
II the grind OF his daily life, was more
han made up for by his wife. IL vas from
III mother that William Sampson inherited
,is grace Of character, his ethical ideals and
lis desire to rise in the world. She is quoted
~ saving to n neighbur, doubling of the
,alue Of her hard efforts Tor her son: Il
want one boy wis won't carry a sawbuck
Ill his life hannah sampson WIS IpSee~Std
n imagination and much innate refinement
Il character, which she did not allow to lie
ubbed out at the washtub. She was the
Of eight, and il would not seem
hat she would have much leisure 10 give
o the personal education Of her brood.
and coats, il would seem. must
,retty well have crowded out paper and
,ooks. But Hannah Sampson, neverthe-
ess, found time 10 devote to the finer gTacrs
II her offspring. and Of these the most apt
md eager to learn was William. Thus it
vas that night after might found the boy
Il his mothers side, from the age when he
irst be gan TO spell out tho words in the few
looks that the sampson home afforded.
;amrson's mother. from the personal tes-
of those who still remember her at
PALMYRA, must have been a ON above
he ordinary. She had remarkable beauty
4 face inherited by her sonl, and was
tactful, chez rful and kind. Re
nembering that she presided over a big
,ousehold supported solely nv the wage
Il a day laborer, no excuse is needed for
,oting her successful efforts 20 lift her |
amily out Of its narrow routine. Sampson
ook every occasion 10 speak OF his mother
With the utmost respect and affection.
HIS BoYHoop TRAINING,
The Sampson family had strict religious
Both James sampson, ia his
t,Hd VOC nnJ Hannah Samp-Ou. with |