AMERICAN ADMIRALS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 20 December 1901, Page 4

AMERICAN ADMIRALS.

The Controversy,

Finding of the Court of Enquiry.

A cable from Washington on December 15th, _ stated “ The Naval Court of Enquiry, which has been adjudicating upon the controversy between Admiral Sampson and Schley, condemns Schley on eleven points, holding that he acted in a vacillating, dilatory, and unenterprising manner. Admiral Dewey mainly supported Schley.” This enquiry was held as the result of a controversy over the naval operations which ended in the destruction of Admiral Cervera’s fleet at Santiago during the recent Spanish-American war. Admiral Sampson was in command of the American fleet, which blockaded Santiago Harbor, but when the Spanish vessels, on July 3rd, 1898, made their famous dash to escape, Sampson had gone towards Sibonoy, and returned too la'te to join in the chase. The command consequently devolved upon Admiral Bchley, and it is in regard tp the coursa taken by the

Brooklyn, Schley’s flagship, that the bitter controversy has ranged. Matters were brought to a head by the publication of the third volume of Edgar Stanton Maclay’s “History of the Navy,” in which Admiral Schley was accused of cowardice and falsehood in connection with the battle of Santiago. In self-defence Schley wrote to the Secretary of the Navy Department, stating that in his opinion the time had come to take such action as would bring the entire matter under the “clear and calm review of his brothera-in-arms.” He asked tbit the Department would take such action as was deemed best to accomplish this purpose.

In response to this request a Court of Enquiry was set up, consisting of Admiral Dewey (Commander of the Navy, president), Rear-Admiral Lewis A. Kimberley (retired), Rear-Admiral Andrew K. Benham (retired), and Judge Advocate Lcmley. Dewey, of course, will be remembered as the hero of the battle of Manilla Bay. The two retired officers mentioned each saw about forty-five years of active service, and both had good records during the Civil War. Admiral Eimberley was in command of the American Squadron which was destroyed in the harbour of Apia, Samoa, during the memorable hui'ricane of 1889. It was his flagship, the Trenton, which sent a parting cheer to H. M.S. Calliope as the British warship steamed safely out of the harbour in the teeth of the hurricane. Admiral Benham played a dramatic part at Rio de Janeiro during the revolution of 1894. The other member of the Court, Captain S. C. Lemley is the judge advocate of the American Navy. All the members of the Court were considered by the Department to be quite dissociated from the controversy, and therefore quite impartial, The enquiry dealt With Schley’s conduct in connection with the events of the Santiago campaign ; the movements of the “flying squadron’’ off Cientuegoes in May, 1898, and its departure to Santiago, its arrival off Santiago, and the reasons for its retrograde turn westward and the departure from off Santiago; Schley’s alleged disobedience of the Department’s orders; the condition of the coal supply of the flying squadron about May 27th, 1898 the course shaped by the Brooklyn during the fight off Santiago and other matters. A San Francisco paper, discussing the Court of Enquiry, said recently:—“ln this instance there cannot be any courtmartial, for the law does not permit it after the expiration of two years from the time of the alleged offence. The Court of Enquiry corresponds in a measure to the Grand Jury ol Civil Courts, but there is much more latitude in its proceedings. All that can come of the proposed enquiry is the effect upon the public judgment of the conduct of the Admirals. A more searching enquiry will be possible when Admiral Schley executes his announced intention of suing Maclay and his publishers for libel. In the rough and tumble of a civil trial the truth is very sure to appear.”