Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-20
gunu , Thudap February

Admiral Schley at the outset of the
action hoisted the two signals of clear
| ship" and CLOSE in" which was sim
| ply CARRYING out the standing orders of
admiral Sampson as to what should
| he done If the enemy's ships attempted
! to break out of the llarbor. Until after
| the close Of the first portion of the fight
| at the mouth of the harbor and until
after he had made his loop and the
| Spanish ships We're fleeing to the west
! ward, not another American ship NC
ticed a signal from him. When the
| western pursuit had begun the Oregon
and the Oregon only noticed and re-
| peated one of his signals OF command.
The captain of the oregon then re-
| garded him as in command, but not In
any shape or way execute any move
ment or action of any kind whatsoever
| in accordance with any order from
him.
| In short. the question as to which of
| the two men, Admiral Sampson or Ad-
miral Schley, was at the time in COM
mand Is of merely nominal character.
| Technically Sampson commanded the
| fleet, ana Schley, as usual. the western
division. The actual fact, the import
| ant fact, is that after the battle was
| joined, not a helm was shifted, not a
gun was fired, not pound of steam
was put on in 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 captains fight.
'TherDfpre tho rrp6it tp which oh iS
entitled rests on matters apart from
the claim of nominal command over the
squadron; therefore, so far as the act
ual 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 as
COMMUNICATIVE chief; upon the ar
rangement of the ships head-on in a
semi circle 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 cred
1t is his.
Admiral Schley is rightly entitled, as
is Captain Cook to the credit of what
the Brooklyn did In the fight. On the
whole she did well; but agree with the
unanimous finding of the three admir-
ais who composed the court Of inquiry
as 10 the loop" 1t seriously married
the Brooklyn's otherwise excellent rec
ord, being in fact the one grave mis-
take made by any American ship that
day. Had the Brooklyn turned to the
westward; that is, in the same direction
that the Spanish ships were going. in
stead of in the contrary direction, she
would undoubtedly have been In more
Dangerous proximity" to them. But
1t would have been more dangerous for
them as we'll as for her. This kind Of
danger must not be too nicely weighed
by those whose trade 1t is to dare
greatly for the honor of the flag. More
over. the danger was certainly not as
great as that which is the self same
moment menaced Wainwright's fragile
craft as he drove forward against the
foe. 1t was not in my judgment. as
great as the danger to which the Texas
was exposed by the turn as actually
made. 1t certainly caused both the
Brooklyn and Texas materially to lose
position, compared to the fleeing ships.
But after the loop had once been taken
Admiral Schley handled the Brooklyn
manfully and well. She and the Oregon
were thenceforth the headmost of the
American vessels tho the Iowa certain
.ly and seemingly the Texas also, did as
much in hammering to a standstill the
viscaya, Oquendo and Teresa: while
the Indiana did all her eastward posi-
ton and crippled machinery permitted.
In the chase of the Colon the Brooklyn
and Oregon share the credit between
them.
MckinIey's Decision Sustained.
Under such circumstances 1t seems to
me that the recommendations of Presi-
dent Mckinley were eminently proper
and that so far as Admiral Sampson
and Admiral Schley were concerned it
would have been unjust for him to have
made other recommendations. Per-
sonally l feel that in view of Captain
Clark's long voyage in the Oregon and
the condition in which he brought her
to the scene of service as well rs the
way he actually managed her before
and during the fight, it would have been
we'll to have given him the same adj
vancement that was given wainwright.
But wainwright was entitled to receive
more than any Of the other comnan-
ders, and that 1t was just to Admiral
Sampson that he should receive
greater advance in numbers than Ad-
miral Schley--there was nothing done
in the battle that warranted any I'M
usual reward for' either. In short, as
regards Admirals Sampson and Schley.
l 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 of inquiry. Admirals Dewey.
Renham and Ramsay, unite In stating
that they recommend no further action
be had in the matter. With this rec
ommendation I most heartily concur.
There is no excuse whatever from either
side for any further agitation of this
unhappy controversy. To keep it alive
would merely do damage to the navy
and to the country.
(Signed.)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Will Steiner. aged "a, living near
t,I Co.,