Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-20

ii the cnemys ships attempted 20 break
cut of the nnrbtr. Until after the close
of the FIRST portion of the fight at ths
mouth Of tho barber, and Until after La
had made his loop and the Spanish ships
were fleeing to TIE westward net anothcp
American ship noticed signal from MIN.
when the western pursuit had tegun tho
Oregon and the Oregon only. noticed and
repeated one of his signals of command.
The captain Ct the Oregon then regarded
him as in command but did not in any
shape or way execute any l1Gvemcnt or
amy action Of any kind vhatsoevet in ac-
cordance with any order from him.
In short, thu question as TO which of the
two men Admiral sampson or Admiral
Srhley, was at the time in command. is Of
merely nominal character. Technically
SGnpSon commanded the fleet, and SchleV.
as usual. th western ciNision. The actual
fact. the mp orant fact, is that after tho
battle Wa Joined not a helm was shifted,
not gun was fired not q pound of steam
vas put on in the engine room at oar1 any
slir actively engaged in obedience to the
c'der of either San pson CT Schley. save
on their own two VESSELS. 1t was a can-
tain's fght.
SIMPSONS CREDIT.
] Therefore the credit to which each of tho
two Is entitled rests on matters apart from
the claim of nominal command over th,
squadron; for far as the actual fight
was concerned neither one nor the other in
fact exercised command. Sampson was
hardly more than technically IN the fight.
His real claim for credit rests upon hiI
work as commander-in-chief: upon the OK
c"llence OF the blockade upon the prt-
parcdnesS OF the squadron upon the ar
rangcment of the ships head on in a Se,ni-
circle around the harbor; and the standing
orders in accordance with which they fu-
stantly moved to the attack of the Snar-
i4rds when the latter appeared. For al
these things the credit is his.
Admiral Schley is rightly entitled--as 10
Capt. Cool-to the credit of what tho
brooklyn did in the fight. On the Who'll.
she did well; but | agree with the unani-
nous finding of the three admirals whr
composed the court of inquiry to ths
loop" 1t seriously marred the Brooklyn
otherwise excellent record. being in fat
the only grave mistake made by amy Amer
lean ship that day. Had the brooklyn
turned to the westward. that is, i'll the
same direction that the Spanish ships wet7,
going, instead Of in the contrary direction.
she would undoubtedly have been in more
dangerous proximity" to them. But it
would have been more dangerous for them
IA well as Tor her! This kind of danger
must not be too nicely weighed by thoss
whose trade it is to dare greatly for the
honor of the fas. Moreover, the danger
was certainly not as great as that which,
IN the self-same moment. menaced Wain-
Wright'S fragile craft as he drove forward
against the loe it was not in my jude-
meut as great as the danger to which the
Texas was exposed by tbs. turn as actually
made. 1t certainly caused both the Brook
lNn and the Texas materially TO lose posi-
tion compared to the fleeing Spanish NeS-
orls But after the loop had once hcen
taken Admiral Schley handled the Brook
lyu manfully and well. She and the Ore
Gon were thenCeforth the headmost of th,
Ann rican Neasels-thouch the Iowa Ger
. tuinly, and seemingly the Texas also. did
, ~ much i'll hammcring to a standstill tho
, NiscaNa, Oqucndo and Teresa while tho
> Indiana did all her eastward position and
, crippled machinery permitted. In the
chase OF the Colon the Brooklyn ana Ort-
Gon share the credit between them.
l TRIBUTE TO CAPT. CLARK.
Under such circumstances it seems 20
, me that the recommendations of Presi-
dent Mckinley were emincnty proper.
:, and that SO far AS AdmirslS Sanp-
> son and Schlcy were concerned proper
it would have been unjust Tor him
90 have made other recommends :
: tions. Personally 7 tool that in view #
, Captain Clerks long voyage in the ores ~
and the condition in which he brought her
j TO the scene Of service. as well dS the way
, in which he actually managed her betOra
, and during the fight, it would have been
: we'll 10 have given him the same advance
, ment that was given Wainwright Blis
waving this, it is evident that Vain
/ wright was entitled to receive more thal
, any of the other commanders; and that tr
, was lust to Admiral Sampson that ho
should receive greater advance in MUM
Icrs than Admiral Schley-there was
nothing done in the battle that warrant
cd any unusual reward for either. in
+. short, as regards Admirals Sampson and
A Schlay, | ind that President Nc kinlcN did
% substantial Justice and that there would
n be no warrant for reversing his action.
f Both Admiral Sampson and ADMIRAL
SchleY are now on the retired list In con
r Guiding their report the members of the
. court of inquiry Admirals Dewey, Ben
II h,m. RamsaI, unite in stating that they
4 recommend that no further action be had
II i'm the matter. With this recommendation I
"A most heartily concur. There is no excuse
T. whatever from either side for any furthev
a. aeitation of this unhappy controversy. Ia
Il, KEEP it alive would merely DO damage to
il, the navy and to the country.
l. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.