The Washington herald., 1906-12-30
Winfield Scott Schley
Rear Admiral Retired.

far-away expression. which seemed 70
suggest some. sad reflection. At this time
I visited the Hotel des Invalides and had
the pleasure Of talking to old veterans
/ Of the First NapoleOn's wars. men who
had fought under him at Wagram. at
I AusterlitZ, at Jena. 1t was wonderfully
| inspiring. I told these old soldiers that
/ had served under the great Farragut, and
that l knew Grant, at which they took
much intvIvzt: they thought Of Grant as
a second Napoleon"
Some years of service in command Of
1 the Benicia followed years in the far
| East in China and Japan, and the little
/ trouble with Korea; there was some
| hand-to-hand fighting here and some
storming Of the forts, but nothing very
serious, and after It was over there came
| trip up the Yangtse-kiang to Hankow.
/ From China, the squadron went TO the
| Philippines
| On his return here. Capt Schley was
/ sent back TO duty at the Naval Academy.
/ but the inactiOn here did not suit him.
1 and as soon as possible he secured com
mand Of the Essex and was sent 10 the
African coast.
| Il was married some time before this
/ says the admiral, but IL was here that I
came near having another wife thrust on
me. There was a dispute about the
boundary lines OF King Nimley's terri
| tory. in the Taboo River country, and the
/ King came aboard the Essex 10 get the
matter settled To put the Ethiopian
monarch in a good humor, We gave him
! some plug tobacco and some necklaces.
and in return he almost insisted on my
| taking one OF his young wives in eX-
change I mad 10 be pretty diplomatic 70
| refuse her"
An idea Of the variety Of the service
| Of Admiral Schley may be CLEANED from
/ the fact that after service on the African
coast and on the Congo there came a
period when he served on the Light
/ house Board. from whence he was chosen
10 take command Of the Greedy Relief
| Expedition. From the burning tropics
/ to the frozen north, Of the trip TO the
Arctic Circle in command Of the Theus
a book might be written. The man who
/ had battled against the Confederates and
| against the Koreans now had 70 battle
| against the ice. Time and again his ship
was nipped by the enormous ice foes,
/ but still be made his way steadily north
/ ward in search Of the lost explorers. find
/ ing them at last on June D. lSS4- The
| dead and the living. both. were brought
/ back to this country, and the gallant
/ ships on their return were greeted by the
/ North Atlantic squadron and were well
/ coined home In honor. For this service
/ Commander Schley was voted a resolu-
/ ton Of thanks by the legislature OF
Maryland. and the Massachusetts Humane
/ Society awarded 10 him fiTst-class gold
medal as an expression Of its apprecia-
/ ton of the wel-wOn fight against such
/ fearful odds.
| Commander Schley was then made Chief
/ OF the Bureau Of Equipment and Recruit
/ ing in the Navy Department, and here lie
was able 10 institute many reforms which
have done much to increase the efficiency
| of the navy and to better the condition Of
| enlisted men.
But bureau life seemed 20 Admiral
| Schley bit tame after his life Of activity
at sea, and after four hard years Of work
| he applied for sea duty once more. The
| new cruiser Baltimore was then being
/ built by the Cramps. and he was as
signed to command Of her. Says he:
she was a fine ship. In company with
her executive officer, Sebree, I put on old
Overalls and we went all over her for sew
eral days. inspecting her from her double
bottoms TO her military tops. Before she
sailed we knew that ship as perfectly as
an eel knows the channel OF a river, and
it is my belief to-day. that a ship can
not be efficiently commanded unless her
commander knows her absolutely. from
stem TO stern, from keel 10 truck
The Baltimore was selected 10 carry
the remains OF John Ericsson back TO
Sweden. and in the country Of the great
inventors birth. Commander SchIey was
received BY King Oscar, who presented
him with a gold medal and gave a silver
medal 10 each Of the officers Of the Bal
timore.