Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1899 — ADVANCEMENT OF ADMIRALS. [ARTICLE]

ADVANCEMENT OF ADMIRALS.

Secretary Long Gives Particulars About tampion and Schley, Secretary Ling has sent to the Senate an exhaustive report in reply to the resolution recently passed by that body failing upon the Navy Department for all records in its possession upon which the nominations of Admirals Sampson and Schley to their present grades were based. This resolution was passed in executive session. Secretary Long goes into the naval history of the Spanish war at great length, citing orders, movemenu and ail the details which preceded the battle of July 3. In summing up these facts and citing tin- reasons for the advancement of Schley and Sampson he says: "The advancement of Admiral Sampson was proposed in recognition of his services in the execution of his duties as commander in chief of all our ships engaged in the campaign in the West Indies; for the supervision of all its details, wherever distributed for the blockade of the island of Cuba: for the conveying and landing of the army and co-operation with its movements, and for the pursuit, blockade and destruction of the Spanish fleet, which destruction, on the 3d day of July' by our fleet under his command, was the consummation of his orders and preparations beginning on the Ist day of June. In this connection the dispatch of Commodore Schley dated July 10 is a pertinent fact. "The advancement of Commodore Schley was proposed in recognition of his services as next in rank at. the victory- of Santiago. Where so much was achieved in this culminating battle and where his ship was such a eonspicuius force in the tight, his conduct, while in independent command prior to June I, the report of which lias been given above and which, by reason of its unsteadiness in purpose and failure to obey orders, did not meet with the approval of the President, the department was yet not permitted to stand in the way of his nomination for promotion to a higher grade for the part he took in that final triumph. In this connection a pertinent fact is the letter of Admiral Sampson, in which, while not overlooking Commodore Schley’s reprehensible conduct, as above referred to, be asks that ample justice be done him for his part in the action of July 3.

It is just to I Kith these officers to say that each of them was selected for his command in the war without solicitation or suggestion on the part of himself or of anyone in his behalf.”