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

Whatever your generous motive may be, the
honor is great. The newspapers recently
noticed the sale at auction OF the sword OF
honor given less than 100 years ago b.. two
OF England's leading cities 10 Lord Coling-
wood. once oue Of Nelson's greatest cap
tains. The thought occurred TO me al l
read IL, Can IL be that one Of England's
greatest Admirals, once 50 honored, IL 80
soon forgotten that there Ia no one even
10 save these trophies from the auctioneer's
hammer This incident suggests other grave
thoughts TO one inclined TO look on the dark
side of things. IL Is true that honors are
short lived. Life itself Is brief. Yet these
facts do not dim the bright view Of the
picture, the promptness with which the
human heart Is stirred by generous impul-
ses, ready on each new occasion To express
appreciation and mete out reward where
ever 1t Is thought TO be due.
lie, then, who IL the recipient OF such
honors, must look TO II that he is worthy,
else the gift Is vaiueiess. War and her
glorles and her triumphs have been lauded
through all ages. No man prepares him
eelf for battle, and no one successfully enters
Il without first an placement of self and
IL born In that hour the finest impulses
that can adorn our human nature. High
above all else We are thankful, for In the
after hours Of triumph or defeat Is the senee
that for once we have met u best selves
face TO face and seen exemplined,in those
about US the qualities we most strive for
and most admire.
IF / mistake not, you make me to-day
the representative Of many who fought
well at Santiago. Courage and valor In
one man may be fine, but unless courage
and valor had been multiplied n thousand
fold and in a thousand hearts that day,
there might have been a different tale TO
tell. | am proud for and proud Of my
oonfreres, and In their name jointly with
my own l accept your gift. You have
honored me because / was their commander.
and though TO have been their commander
was honor enough. you Acknowledgements
Of this here and In this manner lie precious
to me. That | should receive II, your En-
cellency, from your hands. the Governor
OF nv adopted State, adds greatness to
its value. Because ! care, | am unable TO
say how much / care
Another expression Of the regard OF
SIMPSONS brothers-in-arms for him was
made by Admiral Higginson on the occasion
OF the presentation, on Feb. Q, 1890. OF .
loving cup to Mrs. sampson. In the course
Of his speech Admiral Higginson said:
This testimonial, which has taken the
form OF a loving cur, the contributors de-
sire TO present 20 you az n token. OF their
personal affection and esteem for your
husband as q man and also az a token OF
their great respect and admiration for tbs
great ability displayed by him as Com
mander-in-Chief. Nelson once boosted In
one Of his letters that he was served by q
band Of brothers; but no COMMANDMENTS.
Chief was ever served bv a more devoted
bahd Of brothers than was your husband
during the late war. and one of our pleas
ATTEST recollections IL the uniform consider
alton and courtesy with which we were
always received by the Admiral In all our
official intercourse with him. No respon-
sibility, no official burden or anxiety ever
caused him 70 vary for one instant from
the calm serenity OF his manner He wore
at all times the great mantle of his authority
with a simple dignity and a gentle refine
ment which is rarely seen, and once seen
is never forgotten
The inscription on his cup II interesting.
in view of events:
Presented 10 Mrs. William T. Sampson
by the commanding officers under her
husband. Rear Admiral Sampson, in 1905,
during the war between the United States
and Spain which resulted In the destruction
Of the Spanish squadron under Admiral
Cervera of Santiago, Cuba, on the glorious
81 of July, 1898, as n token Of their high
regard and esteem for Admiral SIMPSONS
professional qualities "a a Commandments
Chief and in loving remembrance OF ths
uniform kindness, consideration and
courtesy which characterized his bearing
oward them in all their official Intercourse
This is no place for even a scant resume
of the Spauish-American War, although
the history of the naval operations Of that
war is largely a history Of sampson. Suffire
" ~ "a NHdl fN'si III AlNH 'Ahi h'HN bHN -
aud there wero somo moderately gloomy,
sampson never gave the az
Washington the slightest cause 10 regres
the great confidence reposad in him. His
work * sufficiently wrll-known, even If IL is
wilfully misrCprcscnted and misunderstood.
His blockade Of Santiago IS warmly praised
bv naval authorities the world over, both
Tor itS conception and it, execution. There
never was a moment after sampson came
OF the haroOr that the SDaniards could have
f,F,la ont and ont aWav without "A combat
which was not the case In the blockade
that prevailed before he arrived. Listen
TO the testimony Of his captains
Capt. Philip. OF the Texas;
IL was the blockade that made tbs
battle possible. The battle was a direct
consequence Of the blockade, and upon tho
method and effectiveness Of he blockade
was very largely dependent the issue Of
the battle. II was necessary to have always
before the entrance to Santiago harbor a
force OF ships amnlv sufficient To cope with
tho Spanish squadron. should H. come out
to do battle, and n was necessary To have
this force 80 disposed that none Of the
Spaniards could escape, If that were their
object, no matter which direction they
should take 'Unramitting vigilance nv
night and by day was an absolute necessity.
Under tho orders OF Admiral sampson.
the blockade was conducted with a success
eXempiihed bv the result
Capt. Taylor. Of the Indiana:
"These essential qualities Of n fighting
force had been trained. nodded and eH-
allied TO their highest Usefulness by tbs
vigorous and controlling influence Of our
COmmander-in-Chief Under Admiral
SIMPSONS wise and vigilant direction we
had pressed nearer and nearer The entrance,
had grown day by day more eager and
alcr,. until Oh the third day OF July our
condition had come TO be that OF COM
pletn and continuous readiness by day and
10y night"
Commander Wainwright, OF the Glou-
ceStcr
TO my mind, our victory was due first
20 the caro- and precision with which the
hlpcade was directed by Admiral Sampson
and his staff
Capt. Clark, Of the Oregon. In his official
report to Admiral Sampson:
As soon as il was evident that the enemy's
SHIPS were trying 10 break through and
escape to the west We went ahead
full speed. with the determination Of carry
ing ont 20 the utmost yOIr order, IT the
enemy tries to escape. the ships must closs
and engage as soon a. possible, and en-
deayor TO sink his vessels 81 force them
10 run ashore