THE SCHLEY ENQUIRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7372, 25 January 1902, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE SCHLEY ENQUIRY.

The contest involving Admirals Sampson and Schley has evolved into a scandal of consequence, and is a topic of general interest. The findings of the Naval Court of Inquiry, which -went over all the testimony as to the part taken by Admiral, then Commodore, Schley, were hardly, pleasing to either claimant for honours. The Court was divided. RearAdmirals Ramsay and Benham submitted a majority report, which finds Schley's conduct in the campaign was characterised by vacillation, clila-

toriness and lack of enterprise, but in a half-hearted way gives him credit for being "self-possessed" off Santiago, and says he "encouraged in his own person his subordinate officers and men." A minority report was made by Admiral Dewey. He is unstinted in his praise of his fellowofficer, justifies his concern over the coal equipment of his fleet, commends him for having made reasonable efforts to ascertain whether the Spanish fleet was at Santiago, and for proceeding down the Cuban coast so as to preserve the unity of the fleet, pronounces the blockade at both Cienfuegos and Santiago by him as effective, and gives him entire credit, as senior officer in charge of the squadron off Santiago, when the Spaniards attempted to escape, for the glorious victory then attained. Thus the decision of the Court, called in the hope of putting an end to the controversy, involving charges of lack of .courage on the part of an American naval officer of high rank, settled nothing, and opened the doors for renewed bitterness. The Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Long, approved the findings of the full Court of Inquiry, and administered a tacit rebuke to Admiral Dewey for introducing into his dissenting opinion the question of the command at the battle, testimony regarding that point having been rigidly excluded during the trial. Immediately following the publication of the findings of the Court Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles, commanding- the United States army, expressed his opinions freely in an interview published in a Cincinnati newspaper. Miles' opinion has no bearing upon the main issues, but he expressed disapproval of the action of the Court, and scored the maligners of Admiral Schley. Secretary of War Root, after conference with President Roosevelt, asked Miles for an explanation, and finally administered to him a stinging rebuke:'