The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-05-07
ARTHUR ROPES, General Editor
THE CAPTAIN AND THE
SECRETARY.

The Journal believes that its read
ers will gladly suspend for day the
consideration of that somewhat lurid
serial publication, The Governorship,
and turn their attention to matter
that ever acutely interests them, that
always raises that sure sign of deep
feeling, lump in the throat, that al
ways turns on the enginery of the
heart the forced draft of many burn
ing and conflicting emotions The
text of this present discourse is the
subjoined editorial article from the
Boston Herald of April 20:
In commenting the other day on
Capt. Charles f. Clark declination
of the Presidents appointment TO be
the naval representative of this coun-
try at the coronation of King Edward,
we said that he had not been justly
treated i'll consideration of his SPLEEN
did service, and that he was III fact,
left relatively lower in rank, than be-
fore the war with Spain. We are in
formed by an authority whom we are
bound to respect, that the statements
are erroneous that, on the contrary,
he is six numbers higher on the list
than he would have been but for the
Spanish war and if he had not been
deservedly advanced for his glorious
services. He was advanced one num-
Der more than the other captains in
the battle of Santiago. His promotion
was not delayed except as all promo
lions were delayed for time by the
postponement of action on them by
the Senate We are very glad to make
such correction of the wrong unfOr-
tunately and unintentionally done.
We knew that the statement which
we printed was at one time matter
of common remark, and we were not
aware that it had become untrue by
subsequent action. We never had any
doubt of Secretary Longs purpose to
be Just but we had an impression
that his intention had been thwarted.
1t would have been we'll had the
Herald stuck to the statement it had
made respecting Captain Clark s. pro-
motion, " and had not allowed itself
to be bluffed into recantation by IAN
authority it was bound to respect. "
Who was this authority may be made
to appear. The indisputable facts,
which the Herald, overawed by its
authority" was very glad to deny,
are here briefly summarized;
Captains Gridley, Dyer and Coghlan
of the Asiatic fleet, were advanced
five numbers i'll their grade, for
their part i'll the May day battle in
Manila bay. Heretofore they had
been below Captain Clark III the line
of promotion. This advancement
pushed them ahead of the Oregon's
commander i'll the war with Spain.
Subsequently, on the adoption of the
navy personnel bill making engineers
officers of line, the two engineer Off
GERS, Allen and Melville, Clark S
seniors in the service, were also put
above Captain Clark, but below the
Manila captains, in the line of promo
ton. The latter thus lost nothing by
injecting the two engineers into the
line, but Captain Clark was thereby set
back two numbers more, which, with
the advancement of the three Manila
captains placed the Oregon's captain
five numbers lower in the line than
had been his standing when he sailed
from the Golden Gate in March, 1898,
Later, in the greatness and fulness
of his heart, Secretary Long advanced
Captain Clark six numbers. Five
captains-the Manila officers and the
engineers named-had already gone
over him, so that his net gain was one
number. Death was as kind to the
Captain as was the navy department.
Captain Gridley died on his way to
the United States, and Captain Clark
was thus advanced one number by his
government and one number by death,
making his net advancement two
numbers only, the muniticent "re-
ward'' for his glorious record on the
Oregon-in the famous cruise and the
memorable battle in Cuban waters
No wonder that Captain Clark scorn
ed this promotion" as belittling hi'
work on the Oregon.
Before the enactment of the nava
personnel bill in 1900 the law provided
for eight commodores and eight real
admirals, two grades with sixteen Off
GERS above the grade of captain. B.
that bill the grade of commodore wa
abolished, and the number of rear ad
mirals increased to eighteen, in tw
series--junior and senior of nine each
There were thus two more rear ad
mirals than there had been commo
dores and rear admirals combined
Two captains, the first on the list
were promoted to the two new place
in the grade of rear admiral. TIL
captains above Captain Clark thu
gained two numbers by the operatio
of the new law, but Clark game
-.