Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-17
CANNOT LET 1T DIE.
Though Discredited and Rebuked,
SchIey Renews Controversy.

Washington, Aug. I6.-Kear AdInlra
Schley's article on THE Battle OFF San
tiaGo," which appears in this week :
Saturday Evening Post. was the Occa-
sion of considerable gossip In the Navy
Department, as well as Of much sur
prise. OF course, no officer would dis
cuss either the merits of the article or
the propriety of publishing it. as to do
so would not only be q direct violat ton
of the general orders Of the dnpar TT
mont. but also in disregard of the
Presidents strict injunction, issued as
COMMUNICATIVE chief. that naval ami
army officers should refrain from
further discussion of the Samson
Schley controversy 1t was pointed out
moreover, that Admiral Schley was
himself guilty Of INSTRUMENTATION in
preparing and permitting the publica-
ton of the article, and, being still an
officer Of the navy. although on the re-
tired list. he lai1 himself open to
ccnsure for his course. and possibly
rendered himself susceptible to trial nv
conrt-martial
Friends of Rear Admiral Sampson in
the Navy deeply doplore the way in
which Rear Admiral Schley has con-
trastnd Admiral Sampson with Admiral
JerviS. who took Lord Nelson into his
arms after the great naval victory at
st. Vincent. An opinion was expressed
that although Rear Admiral Schley's
action was apt to irritate old wounds
it was best To leave his article without
answer. At the Navy Department the
opinion was that the Schley article
VIII he ignored by the Administrations
President Roosevelt has always thrown
his inhu"ncc strongly against the per-
petuation Of the dispute Political
significance is, of course. attached to
the publication Of the article at this
time, Rear Admiral Schley is "A Mary
lander and q Democrat He has n
large following in that state ana it,
sympathy was radically in his favor
during the controversy. 1t is more
than probable that any roprimand of
Rear Admiral Schlcy for publishing
this article would have a distinct anti
effect in Maryland.
In TIL" article the rear admiral gives
his personal account Of the dcstruc
ton Of the Spanish fleet" ana in IT
makes several statements regarding the
o'd questions which the naval battle
Drought about. and which even an
exhaustive court Of inquiry did not
fully settle. The admiral accent,Iatns
the cablcd orders from the NAVY De-
rartmcrt which had sent Admiral
General Shaftcr on that historic morn
ing Of July 3. This withdrawal of
SIMPSONS flagship. nc declares. deter
1nin"s his own status as senior off .er
IN command of the bOckading daa+
We then refers to the battle of the Nile
which Lord Nelson won over the
French. and rrcounts that history has
acclaimed Nelson as the victor Of that
hatt'", although Nelson's superior. Sir
'"hn Jervis. had sent him out in search
81 me French fleet some three months
before.
Describing tho position Of the American
Shins hlcrkading Santiago. ADMIRAL
Schl"v tells of tho sortic ana. asserting
that the formulated rlan for DESTROYING
~" Spanish ships had failed. makes the
statement that the onemys vessels prac- |
tically forced their WAY through the line |
of hlockadn" -hattlcShins ard that ere |
atnd an unlooked-for situation and one |
which it was necessary to meet ut once |
To Captain Cook of the BROOKLYN no gives |
the credit of having anticinatcd his ord |
there was any colloOuy about this order |
the allegation that there was srch colo |
1uY and that the cruiser. swinging away |
from the battle under a port helm. had |
endangered the Texas. speeding to the |
fray being largely responsible for the
court Of inquiry which sal in Washing
tor with newcr rs its president.
The admiral further says that all talk |
IF the Texas having hcen endangered is n |
fiction. Continuing the admiral saws that
while tho Socana battery and all four Of |
the Spanish cruisers concentrated fun fire |
upon him ard while h felt that he was |
alone in the battle he determined to tight |
1t tC the last. let the consequences he rs !
they might lie then tells Of the Oregon's |
= nn"ararc" ana tho signal follow the |
flag" and low terrific was the spectacle. |
aud how one after the other the Spanish |
ships turned and sought the beach. all |
Except the Colon and to which the Brook |
Ivn and the Oregon gave chase. The IN |
tile plight Of that vessel and her Surrcnd |
nr is told. ard then the admiral rClate |
It considerable length how n strange yes
sci was seen and reported to he a Span
sh battlcship. and how the BROOKLYN was
sent out to investigate her character
md how nearly he came to firing upon
he Austrian battleehip Infanta Maria
Teresa before he discovered what she
waS.
When President Roosevelt took hand
IN the dispute as to whether the credit Of
tictory belonged to Rear Admiral Samp-
son. who was absent when the fight he
gan. or to Rear Admiral Schley. who
was commander Of the fiving squadron
nc declared that 1t was a Captains bat
It." This was coupled with a warning to
I'll naval officers that the controversy
should he allowed to die. Since that time |
little has boon heard of it. Naval officers
have considered it certain invitation
# departmental displeasure to discuss tho
publicly. When Rear Ad-
niral Sampson died it was generally felt
hat the controversy had been surely
ended.