Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-27

In enc direction than the Brooklyn was
In the other and was In plain sight,
OF course Admiral SampsonNyas pres
emit and in command, reviewed no
signals from the Brooklyn, gpd would
not have noticed her at all bad IL not
been for the fact that whenAhe other
vessels closed in she made 'b,hat has
senco been called "thc looIb' so that
my attention was attracteH by not
seeing the Texas, because SLID stopped,
and by not seeing the Brooklyn be-
cause she went TO seward, away from
the Spanish vessels,
"lhc question Of command Is In this
cnsG nominal and technical, Admiral
SIMPSONS ship, the New York, was
seen NJ the outset OF the fight from all
the ships except tho Brooklyn, Fo"r
Of these five ship captains have testified
that they regard him as prcsentRnd In
command, He signNllcd "closc In" 10
the fleet rs soon as the first Spanish
ship appeared, but his signal was not
seen by any American vessel, lie was
actually under fire from forts and him
self fred couple of shots at the close
Of the action with the torpedo boats,
in addition TO signaling the Indiana
Just NJ the close of the action, But
during the action not single order
from him was received by any OF the
ships that were actively engaged
CAPTAINS woN THE FIGHT,
"ln short, the question ms TO which OF
the two men, Admiral Sampson or ADJ
mral Schlcy, was at the time in COM
mand, Is Of merely nominal character,
| Technically, Sampson commanded the
fleet, and Schlcy, MS usual, the western
division, The actual fact the impor-
tont fact, Is that after the battle was
joined not helm was shifted, not n
gun was fired, not u pound 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 II was
II captains fight,
"rhcreiorc, the credit TO which each
Of the two is entitled rests on matters
apart from the claim Of nominal com
mOnd over the squadron; for, so far IN
the actual fight was concerned, neither
one nor the other In fact exercised any
command Sampson was hardly more
than technically in the fight His real
claim for credit rests upon his work ms
commander-m.chicf; upon the excel.
lcnce of the blockade; upon the pre-
parcdncss Of the squadron; upon tho
arrangement OF the ships headed In n
scmicirce around the harbor; and the
standing orders In accordance with
which they instantly moved TO the at
tack Of the Spaniards when the latter
appeared, For all these things the
credit is his,
LOOP" THE ONE BLUNDER.
admiral Schley is rightly entitled-as
is Captain CoolS-to the credit Of what
the Brooklyn did in the fight, On tbs
whole, she did we'll; but agree Wits
the unanimous finding Of the three adj
mirnls who composed the court of in
quiry as TO the "loop." 1t seriously
married the Broollyns otherwise excel
lent record, being in fact the one grave
mistake made by any American ship
that day.
MKINLEY WAS RIGHT.
Under such circumstances II seems to
me that the recommendations Of Prcsi-
dent Mckinley were eminCntly proper
and, that 50 far rs Admirals Sampson
and Schlcy were concerned, it would
have been unjust for him TO have made
other recommendations.
Personally, ! feel that in view Of
Captain ClarS's long voyage in the
Oregon and the condition in whNh he
brought her 60 the scene of service, MS
well as the way In which he actually
managed her before and during the
fight, il would have been well TO have
given him the same advancement that
was given Wainwright
"lBut waving this it is evident that
Wainwright was entitled TO receive
more than any of the other commanders;
and that IL wns just to Admiral Samp-
son that he should receive a greater adj
vance in numbers than Admiral SChlcy
there was nothing done IN the bpttle
that warranted any unusual reward
for either In short, MS regards Ad.
mirals Sampson and Schley, find that
President Mckinley did substantial
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 ofinquiry, Admirals Dewey,
Benham and Ramsey, unite in stating
that they recommend that no further
action be had in the matter With
this recommendation | most heartily
concur There is no excuse whatever
from either side for any further agita-
ton Of this unhappy controversy. To
keep it alive would merely do damage
, to the navy and TO the country,
, "THEODORE ROOSEVELT"