The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-20

errand of communication with Gen.
Shafter.
I'VE can, therefore, for our present
purposes, dismiss consideration of SO
much of the appeal as relates to anything
except the battle. AS regards this, the
point raised in the appeal is between Adj
niral Sampson and Admiral Schle as
to which was in command, and as to
which was entitled to the credit, If either
of them was really entitled to any un-
usual and pre-eminent credit by any spe-
cial exhibition of genius, skill and
courage.
'"The court could have considered both
of these <Nestions bEt as a mater of
fact, 1t unanimously excluded evidence
offered upon them, and through its pres
ident, announced it's refusal to hear Ad-
miral SIMPSONS side at all; and in view
of such exclusion the majority of the
court acted with. entire proprlety in not
expressing any opinion on these points.
DECIDES, HE SAYS, AFTER
LONG STUDY OF CASE.
1.-THE matter has, however, been raised
by the president Of the court. Moreover,
it is the point upon which Admiral
Schley In his appeal laid most stress,
and which he especially asks me to
consider. l have, therefore, carefully in
vestigated this matter also, and have
Informed myself upon. it from the best
sources of information at my command.
1.-THE appeal of Admiral Schley to me
is not as to this. The chief point he
raises is not really an appeal from the
decision of the court of Inquiry. Five
sixths Of the appeal Is devoted to this
question Of command and credit; that
is to the matter which the court of in
quiry did not consider It is in effect an
appeal from the action Of President Nc
Kinley three years ago, when he sent
In the recommendations for promotion
for the various officers connected with
the Santiago squadron, basing these rec
concentrations upon his estimate Of the
credit to which the officers were respec-
lively entitled.
What have to decide, therefore, is
whether or not President Mckinley did
injustice in the matter This necessarily
Inv Olives a comparison of the actions Of
the different commanders engaged. The
exhaustive official reports of the action
leave little to be brought out anew; but
as the question of Admiral Sampson's s
right to be considered in chief command
which was determined in his favor by
President Mckinley. and later by the
court of claims has never hitherto been
of1c1alIy raised, | deem 1t best to secure
statements Of the commanders OF the
i've ships (other than the Brooklyn and
New York. the fagships Of the two ad-
mirals) which were actively engaged In
the fight.
QUOTES THE REPORTS
OF THE CAPTAINS.
Admiral Philip is dead. I quote ex-
tracts from his magazine article on the
fight, written Immediately after 1t oc-
CURED, closing with an extract from his
Feb. q, 1899:
.'It was the blockade that made the
battle possible. The battle was a direct
consequence of the blockade and upon the
was very largely dependent the issue of
the battle. - Under the orders Of
Admiral Sampson the blockade was con-
quoted with success exemplified by the
Nh0vn
at last made his dash to escape we were
ready-ready with our men, with our
guns, and with our engines > It
was only few minutes after we had
seen the leader of the advancing squad
ron that 1t became apparent that Ger
vera'E plan was to run his ships In coll
unn westward in an effort to escape
Before he had fairly found him
self outside the MORO, the entire block
aiding squadron-Indiana, Oregon, Iowa
Brooklyn and Texas-was pumping shell
into him at such a rate as virtually to
decide the issue of the battle ia the first
in simultaneously
Then occurred the incident
which caused me for a moment more
alarm than anything Cervera did that
day. Suddenly 4 Whiff Of breeze
and a lul1 in the firing lifted the pail
and there, bearing toward us and across
our bows turning on her port helm. with
big waves curling over her bows and
great columns Of black smoke pouring
from her tunnels, was the Brooklyn She
looked as big as half dozen Great East
erns, and seemed so near that it took our
breath away. Back both engines hard
went down the tube to the astonished en-
gineers, and in a. twinkling the old ship
was racing against herself. The collision
which seemed imminent, even if it was
not was ayerted, and as the big cruiser
glfded past, all of US on the bridge gave
a sigh of relief Had the Brooklyn struck
us then 1t would probably have been the