Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1902-02-27

the majority of the court acted with en-
tire propriety in not expressing any
opinion on these points. The matter
has, however, been raised by the presi-
dent of the court. Moreover, it is the
point upon which Admiral Schley in his
appeal lays most stress, and which he
especially asks me to consider. l have,
therefore, carefully investigated this
matter also and have informed myself
upon it from the best sources of infor-
nation at my command.
M'KINLEY's VERDICT.
1.-THE appeal of Admiral Schley to me
is not, as to this, the chief point he
raises, really an appeal from the de-
cision of the court of inquiry. Five
sixths of the appeal is devoted to this
question of command and credit; that
is, to matter which the court of inquiry
did not consider. 1t is in effect an ap-
peal from the action of President Nc
Kinley three years ago, when he sent
in the recommend atoms for promotion.
What l have to decide, therefore, is
whether or not President Mckinley did
injustice in the matter. This neces-
sarily involves a comparison of the
actions of the different commanders en-
gagged. The exhaustive official reports
VI Tile dCIlOn l0dFc uUIlc W Oc DTOuSllb
out anew; but as the question of Ad-
miral SIMPSONS right to be considered
in chief command, which was de-
termined in his favor by President Nc
Kinley and later by the court of claims,
has nj yer hitherto been officially raised,
| deemed it best to secure statements
from the commanders of the five ships
(other than the Brooklyn and New
York, the fagships of the two admirals. J
which were actively engaged in the
fight. Admiral Philip is dead. quote
extracts from his magazine article on
the fight, written Immediately after it
! occurred, closing with an extract from
his letter to the secretary of the navy
| of February 81, 1885,"
ADMIRAL PHILLIPS STATEMENT.
1t was the blockade that made the
battle possible. The battle was a
direct consequence of the blockade, and
upon the method and effectiveness of
the blockade was very largely de-
pendent the issue of the battle. 8.
Under the orders of Admiral Sampson
| the blockade was conducted with a
success eXemplified by others. Admiral
| Sampson was commander-in-chief be-
fore, Curing and after the action.
CAPTAIN CLARK's STATEMENT.
Captain Clark's statement is as fol-
lows: The credit of the blockade which
led up to the fight is, of course, Admiral
SIMPSONS. During the first stage l
did not see the Brooklyn or receive any
| signals from her. L considered Com
modore Schley in responsible command
during this running fight and chase,
SO far as | was concerned, and ac-
knowledged and repeated signal he
had flying for close action or some
/ thing of the kind. AS, however, the
| problem was perfectly simple, namely,
! to pursue the Spanish ships, as l had
| been doing before 1 saw the Brooklyn,
| he did not as matter of fact exercise
any control over any movement or &C
ton of the Oregon, nor did 1 perform
| any action of any kind in obedience to
any order from the Brooklyn, neither
as to my course nor as to my speed, nor
as to my gunfre, during the fight or
chase.
ADMIRAL EVANS STATEMENT.
The following is Admiral Evans
statement: The credit for the block
ade, for the arrangement of the ships
at the opening of the fight, and for the
| first movements forward into the fight,
must, of course, belong to Admiral
Sampson, whose orders we were put
| ting into effect. When the fight be-
| gan, Admiral SIMPSONS ship, the New
York, was in plain sight. L saw her
| turning to overtake us. Throughout
| the fight I considered myself as under
his command, but received no orders
from him until the Viscaya was
aground. Nor did l receive any orders
whatever from the Brooklyn, nor
should 1 have needed them if l had
received them, inasmuch as l considered
Admiral Sampson to be present and
| in command.
ADMIRAL TAYLOR's STATEMENT.
| At the beginning of the fight, the
| New York was about as far to the
/ eastward of me as the Brooklyn was to
| the westward. The only signal L re-
ceived from the New York was at the
very close of the fight, when she sig
nailed TO me to return and guard the
mouth of the harbor, so that nothing
should come out to attack our trans
ports. l received no signal whatever
from the Brooklyn, and should not
have needed any if one had been made
as L considered Admiral Sampson pres.
ent and in command.
COMMANDER wAINwRIGHT's STATEMENT
At the outset of the fight, the New
! was not much further away from me
| VIII Close the Whole Matter.