SAMPSON, WILLIAM THOMAS ( 1 _ 40-1 902 ) Ameri can naval commander, was born at Palmyra, N.Y., on Feb. 9, 1840, and graduated at the head of his class from the U.S. Naval academy in 1861. In this year he was promoted to master, and in the following year was made lieutenant. He was executive officer in the "Patapsco" when she was blown up in Charleston harbour in Jan. 1865. He served on distant stations and (1868-71 and 1876-78) at the Naval academy, and became lieutenant-com mander in 1866 and commander in 1874. He was a member of the International Prime Meridian and Time Conference in 1884, and of the board of fortifications in 1885-1886; was superintendent of the Naval academy from 1886 to 189o; and was promoted to cap tain and served as delegate at the International Maritime Con ference at Washington in 1889. He was chief of the Bureau of Ordnance in 1893-97. About 95% of the guns employed in the Spanish-American 'War were made under his superintendence. His influence was felt decisively in the distribution of guns and armour, and in the training of the personnel of the navy. He not grown to any considerable extent, largely owing to the prox imity of Canton. Its trade is based on the large junk and launch traffic of the delta region. The export trade through the port is largely from Wuchow and Nanning higher up the Si-kiang. Owing to the Cantonese boycott of Hongkong in 1925-26 the foreign trade (especially in imports) of Samshui was seriously affected, as the following figures show:— superintended the gunnery training and prepared a new drill book for the fleet. In Feb. 1898, Sampson, then a captain, was
president of the board of inquiry as to the cause of destruction of the "Maine." At the outbreak of the war with Spain he was placed in charge of the North Atlantic Squadron, and conducted the blockade of Cuba. When it was known that Admiral Cervera, with a Spanish fleet, had left the Cape Verde islands, Sampson withdrew a force from the blockade to cruise in the Windward Passage, and made an attack upon the forts at San Juan, Porto Rico. After his return to the coast of Cuba he conducted the blockade of Santiago, and the ships under his command destroyed the Spanish vessels when they issued from the harbour of Santi ago and attempted to escape. (See SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.) Sampson himself was not actually present at the battle, having started for Siboney just before it began to confer with Gen.
Shafter, commanding the land forces. He reached the scene of battle as the last Spanish vessel surrendered, and the engagement was fought in accordance with his instructions. He was promoted to commodore in 1898, to rear-admiral on March 3, 1899, and was made commandant of the Boston (Charlestown) navy yard in October of the same year. He died in Washington, D.C., on May 6, 1902.
See W. A. M. Goode, With Sampson Through the .War (1899) A. T. Mahan, "Sampson's Naval Career," McClure's Magazine, vol. xix. (1902) ; James Parker, Rear Admirals Schley, Sampson and Cervera (Iwo).