The Topeka state journal., 1902-02-20

til the last Of the three vessels went
of the other American vessels on a course
onto the spanard Te M oregon. sT5S Io@a and
Iexas were all close together and actively
| The Brooklyn and Oregon followed at
some distance by the Texas, then con-
went nearly thirty miles further before
she also went ashore. During this chase
! fighting. These are the facts as set forth
above. in the statements of the captains
and elsewhere in their official reports and
testimony. They leave no room for doubt
| on any important point.
The question of command Is in this case
nominal and TECHNICAL Admiral Samp-
sons ship the New York, was seen at the
eept the Brooklyn -Four Of these five ship
him as present and in command He
signaned close I'M to the fleet as soon
his signal was 5s not Seen n By nyeA any American ne
vessel He was actually under fire from
| the forts and himself fired couple or
shots at the close of the action with the
| torpedo boats, in addition to signaling the
But during the action not a single order
from from him was received by any, of the
ships that were actively engaged
| SCHLEY OBEYED ORDERS.
Admiral Schiey at the outset of the ae-
ship and close in" which were simply
carrying out the standing orders of Ad-
! if the enemy's ships attempted to break
out of the harbor- Until after the close
mouth of the harbor and until after he
had made his loop and the Spanish ships
ship noticed signal from him. When
the pursuit had begun the oregon and
the Oregon only. noticed and repeated
one of his signals of command. The cap
in ie oommand Ga baf did ie not m ny shape @ % or
way execute any movement or any action
with any order from him. In short the
question as to which of the two men.
at the time in command is of merely nom
| inal character. Technically Sampson conf
manded the fleet and Schley, as usual,
the important fact, is that after the bat
not not as gun was a fred, not ot ' pound ind OF
steam was put ON the engine room aboard
any ship actively engaged in obedience to
the order of either Sampson or Schley.
| save on their own two vessels. 1t was n
Therefore, the credit to which each of
the two is entitled rests on matters apart
from the claim of nominal command over
the squadron; Tor. SO far as the actual
Sampson was hardly more than technical
rests upon his work as commander-in-
chief; upon the excellence of the block
ron: upon the arrangements of the ships
head on in a semi-circle around the har-
with which they instantly moved to the
attack of the SPaniards when the latter
BROOKLYN DID WELL
Captain CoofNto the credit of what tho
Brooklyn did in the fight. On the whole
imous finding Of the three admirals who
composed the court of inquiry as to the
lyns otherwise excellent record, being. IN
fact, the one grave mistake made by any
American ship that day. Had the Brook
lyn turned to the westward-that is in
the same direction that the Spanish ships
We're going instead of in the contrary di-
rection, she would undoubtedly have been
in more dangerous proximity TO thsin
would been dangerous
for them as well as for her. This kind
by those whose trade it is to dare greatly
for the honor of the flag. Moreover
that which. in the self-same moment men
aced Wainwrights fragile craft as he
drove forward against the foe. 1t was
danger to which the Texas was exposed
tainiy iy' caused u both hi the Brooklyn and the
Texas materially to lose position com
after the loop had once been taken Adj
niral Schley handled the Brooklyn man
fully and well. She and the Oregon were
thenceforth the headmost of the Ameri-
can vessels-though the Iowa certainly
in hammering to a standstill the Viscaya,
0quend0 and Teresa; while the, Indiana,
did all her eastward position and crippled
machinery permitted In the chase Of the the
credit between them.
Under such circumstances it seems to
me that the recommendations of Presi-
dent Mckinley were eminentIy proper and
that, so far as Admiral Sampson and Adj
fnl1dl SCnley were concerned, II WoulQ Dt
unjust for him to have made other rec
concentrations. Personally. L feel that
in view of Captain Clarks long voyage in
the Oregon and the condition in which he
brought her to the scene of service as well
as the way he actually managed her be-
fore and during the fight it would have
been well to have given him the same ad-
vancement that was given Wainwright.
But. waving this, it is evident that Vain
wright was entitled to receive more than
any of the other commanders. and that
it was just to Admiral Sampson that ne
should receive a greater advance in num-
bers than Admiral Schey-there was
nothing done in the battle that warranted
any unusual reward for either. In short.
as regards Admirals Sampson and Schley.
/ find that President Mckinley did sub
stantial justice and that there would be
no warrant for reversing his action.
Both Admiral Sampson and Admiral
Schley are now on the retired list. In
concluding their report the members Of
the court of inquiry. Admirals Dewey.
Benham and Ramsay. united in stating
that they recommend that no further
action be had in the matter. With this
recommendation / most heartily concur.
There is excuse whatever from either
side for any further agitation of this
happy controversy. To keep it alive would
merely do damage to the navy and TO the