were near death, and brought them safely home after 

 a perilous voyage through 1,400 miles of ice. 



The controversial period of Schley's career began 

 with his appointment to command the Flying 

 Squadron, stationed at Hampton Roads at the 

 opening of the Spanish-American \Var, with the 

 arrangement that should his squadron operate with 

 the Atlantic Squadron in the West Indies, he would 

 be under its senior officer, William T. Sampson. 

 Since Sampson was junior to Schley in rank, this led 

 to the famous Sampson-Schley controversy of the war. 

 Despite his orders to blockade Santiago immediately, 

 Schley took his time getting there with his squadron, 

 and then he failed to establish a close blockade. 

 During the month-long blockade in which the two 

 squadrons were joined, matters were strained between 

 the coiTimands. Sampson was in conference about 

 seven miles east of Santiago when the Spanish fleet 

 finally emerged from the harbor. Schley immediately 

 seized full command of the battle despite Sampson's 

 proximity and his prompt return to action. 



The press, probably influenced by his likable 

 personality, made a hero of Schley, but his fellow 

 naval officers felt differently. A court of inquiry held 

 in 1901 found Schley to be at fault, but despite this 

 decision he retained his public popularity, a tribute 

 to his affability and bluff, hearty manner. 



The many pieces in the Museum's collection of 

 presentation silver given to Schley not only attest the 

 recipient's popularity but seem to express the poor 

 taste, debased design, and stereotyped workmanship 

 that was characteristic at the beginning of the 20th 

 century. 



Not just one presentation piece but an entire silver 

 service was made from Spanish coins recovered from 

 the Cristobal Colon that was sunk at Santiago. The 

 original service consisted of 69 pieces, of which the 

 Museum has the table centerpiece, soup tureen and 

 ladle, fish platter, and a vegetable dish (cat. 39554). 



The centerpiece, measuring 14 by 30 by 8 inches, is 

 designed with a circular base holding four classical 

 female figures. On each side of the base is a shallow 

 silver dish shaped like a seashell and supported by 

 dolphins. A shield on one side of the base bears the 

 following inscription : 



This service made of Spanish coins recovered from the 

 Cristobal Colon sunk in the battle off Santiago de Cuba 

 July 3, 1898 is presented to Rear Admiral Winficld Scott 

 Schley by his friends in loving appreciation of his heroic 

 services to his country. 



An eagle ornaments the opposite side of the base. 



The covered oval soup tureen (7 inches by 13,'^ 

 inches; cat. 39555) bears the same inscription as the 

 centerpiece and is marked "S. Kirk & Son Co." The 

 cov-er, monogrammcd "W S S," has a rather effective 

 design of overlapped laurel leaves with clusters of 

 berries. The ladle (14 inches long; cat. 39556) is 

 monogrammed "W S S" on the bowl (4 inches in 

 diameter), and it has the same design as the tureen. 



The fish platter (25 inches by 13 inches; cat. 39557) 

 is similar to the tureen in design. The oval vegetable 

 dish (11 inches by 15}^ inches; cat. 39558) is also 

 similar and is inscribed the same way, including the 

 mark of "S. Kirk & Son Co." 



An elaborate silver centerpiece given to Admiral 

 Schley in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1902 consists of a 

 bowl, vase, and candelabra made to be fitted into 

 one unit (fig. 15). The large bowl (20 inches by 6 

 inches) is chased in marine designs and bears the 

 following inscriptions: 



Presented to Winfield Scolt Schley, .Admiral U. S. N. in 

 recognition of his services in destroying the Spanish I'leei 

 off Santiago de Cuba, July 3, 1898. 



Twenty-thousand American citizens join in honoring valor, 

 fidelity to duty and a lofty generosity that e.xemplified the 

 sublimest manhood. Memphis, Tennessee, April 28, 1902. 



There is glory enough for All. 



The silver vase (32 inches high) is made to fit into 

 the bowl, and it has a portrait of Admiral Schley on 

 one side and a picture of his flagship, the Brooklyn, on 

 the other. Each end of the bowl is fitted with a 

 socket to hold a three-branch silver candelabra, and 

 there are two solid blocks of silver for insertion in the 

 sockets when the candelabra are not being used. 

 These pieces are marked "Sterling" but no maker's 

 mark is visible. 



A silver card (cat. 39518), measuring 3)^ inches by 

 Syi inches, that was presented to Schley at a dinner 

 given in his honor is engraved as follows: 



Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, U. S. N. The Com- 

 mercial club of Kansas City, Mo., November 19, 1902. 



The turn of the century marks the beginning of the 

 popularity of loving cups as presentation pieces. 

 There are four loving cups in the Admiral Schley 

 collection. 



The earliest of these cups bears the following 

 inscription: 



Presented to Rear Admiral \V. S. Schley by the citizens of 

 Atlanta Georgia, November 4, 1899. 



This cup (cat. 39571), 9 inches in diameter and HJj 



100 



BULLETIN 24 1 : CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



