The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-02-26
THE PRESIDENT.

washington, rep, ~. - PRESIDENT
Roosevelt's reply to the appeal of Ad-
miral Schley from the findings of the
court of inquiry was made public on
Wednesday. While characterized by
the clear forcible language of Roose-
welt it is document judicial in tone
and probably will end that famous con-
troversy.
The President says, in part: / have
received the appeal of Admiral Schley
and the answer thereto from the navy
department. have examined both
with the utmost care as well as the
preceding appeal to the secretary of the
navy. l have read through all the
testimony taken before the court and
the statements of counsel for Admirals
Sampson and Schley have examined
all the official reports of every kind in
reference to the Santiago naval cam
paign, copies of the log books and
signal books, and the testimony before
the Court of Claims, and have also
personally had before me the four sur
viving captains of the five ships, aside
from those of the two admirals which
were actively engaged at Santiago.
1t appears that as the court of in
quiry was unanimous in it's findings
of fact and unanimous in its express
sions of opinion on most of its find
ings of fact. No appeal is made to me
from the verdict of the court on these
points where it was unanimous. I
have, however, gone carefully over
the evidence on these points also. l
am satisfied that on the whole the
court did substantial justice. 1t should
have specifically condemned the fail
ure to enforce an efficient night block
n6n ut Co Mi xx~ntl A Il ,,,a1C ,I.1 L.
was in command. On the other hand
feel that there is reasonable doubt
whether he did not move his squadron
with sufficient expedition from port
to port. The court is a unit in con-
demning Admiral Schley's action on
the point where it seems to me he
must have gravely erred his retro
grade movement when he abandoned
the blockade, and his disobedience
of orders and misstatement of facts
i'll relation thereto. 1t should be re-
membered, however, that the majority
of these actions which the court cen.
sures occurred five weeks or more be-
fore the fight itself, and it certainly
seems that if Admiral Schley's actions
were censurable he should not have
been left as second in command under
Admiral Sampson. His offenses were
in effect condoned when he was not
called to account for them. Admiral
Sampson, after the fight in an official
letter to the department, alluded for
the first time to Admiral Schley's
"reprehensible conduct" six weeks
previously. If Admiral Schley was
guilty of reprehensible conduct of
kind which called for such notice
from Admiral Sampson, then Admiral
Sampson ought not to have left him
as senior officer of the blockading
squadron on the Sd of July, when he,
(Sampson) steamed away on his prop
er errand Of communication with Gen
eral Shafter.
Captain Clark's long voyage in the
Oregon and the condition in which he
brought her to the scene of service,
as well as the way in which he &C
tually managed her before and dur
ing the fight, it would have been we'll
to have given him the same advance
ment that was given Wainwright.
But waving this it is evident that
Wainwright was entitled to receive
more than any of the other command
ers; and that it was just to Admiral
Sampson that he should receive great
er advance in numbers than Admiral
Schley-there was nothing done in
the battle that warranted any unusual
reward for either. In short, as re-
CARDS Admirals Sampson and Schley 1
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 mem
bers of the court of inquiry Admirals
Dewey, Benham, Ramsay, unite in
stating that they recommend and that
no further action be had in the mat
ter. With this recommendation most
heartily concur. There is no excuse
whatever from either side for any fur
ther agitation of this unhappy contro-
versy. To keep it alive would merely
do damage to the navy and to the
country.
Washington, Feb. 20. - Secretary
Long says II have no comment to
make on the Presidents ruling in the
Schley cases except to express my ap-
probation of its full, conscientious
straightforward character. 1t is of
course gratifying that the navy de-
partment is sustained"