The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-15

camp and where it was, and then the
Commodore said to him: We have seen
three peculiar lights one ahead of the
other here, but we cannot make out what
they are and 4 believe it is something
in connection with the Spanish fleet. Cap
tain McCalla gave start, threw up his
hands, and said That is the signal from
the insurgent camp. They want to COM
municate with you,; and added, Well,
/ can go there and find out at once The
Commodore told him to go, to get Off as
soon as possible, and added 'YouA can send
a boat across and let me know as soon as
possible Then the subject of coaling
came Up again; about the great difficulty
we were going to have in coaling from
colliers and Captain McCalla said You
need not be at all concerned about rae.
will get coal If there is any coal to be
obtained He was always cheerful about
everything. He started from the ship al
most Immediately and said Il must get
Off
THE ADULA BRINGS NEWS.
'In the meantime closely connected
with that, was the arrival of the Adula
This steamer came in from Jamaica and
reported that the Spanish fleet had gone
into Santiago and had left on the nine
teenth That seemed to confirm the Com
modores idea that they had reached
Cienfuegos 1t was a suspicious craft.
said something to the Commodore about
letting that steamer go in. He said
L don't care anything about the steamer,
but | am bound to get information from
her. If the Captain does not give it
will certainly get it out of some OF the
passengers
sIt was arranged that when she came
out the officers should go aboard and
question the passengers and get infor-
nation from them. she did not come out.
That confirmed him still more that they
were there Then the Eagle came down
in the evening and reported that tne
Spanish squadron was not in Cienfuegos
Speaking of the coal supply of the YES
sells of the Flying Squadron while at
Cienfuegos, Captain Cook said that his
only anxiety was concerning the Texas,
whose supply was light. 1t had been
found difficult to coal that ship on ac-
count of it's sponsors. He said in this
connection that Commodore Schley had
, always been persistent in keeping the
ships as full of coal as possible.
ARRIVAL OF THE HAWK.
Capt. Cook said he recalled the arrival
of the dispatch boat Hawk on May "a with
dispatches. He was told that the infor-
nation was to the effect that the Spanish
fleet was in Santiago. But" he said,
Il was not especially impressed with
that fact as l had heard it before
He was, however, told that this in
formation was more positive than any
which had yet been brought. The Com
modore, he said. had told him that the
Hawk had brought orders to the effect
that the squadron should proceed to San
riago if he (the Commodore) was satisfied
that the SDaniardS were not at Cienfue-
gos. but, he said, Commodore Schley had
said: Il am not satisfied that they are
not here. l still believe they are here
There was then, he said, considerable
talk on the part of the Commodore con-
corning the coal supply, he feeling that
if the then present expenditure was TO
continue it would not continue long. He
was still especially concerned about the
Txeas and had said to him Captain
! Cook that 1--WE must keep the ships in
fighting trim" They had consulted
charts and talked over the case, looking
for a place fit for coaling. Finally, he
said they had hit upon Gonaives Bay and
had decided to lay a course for that point.
THE idea," he said, was that we should
proceed in the direction of Santiago, and
that if we found the sea such that we
could coal we would Immediately institute
the blockade, but if not practicable to
do that we would proceed to Gonaives
Bay and coal there
Captain Cook related the particulars of
J,o uyit tbo chi affC
tiago and told of Captains Cotton and
Sigsbee coming on board. Speaking of
Captain Sigbees visit, he told of his
bringing the pilot Nunez aboard. Nunez
said he had seen nothing of the Spanish
haet.
The witness then detailed the retro
grade movement of the Flying Squadron
toward Key West He said his first in
formation that such a movement was to
be undertaken was whom he received
orders to move. He had, he said, in
formed Commodore Schley on the evening
of the 9th that he thought the sea had
become calm enough to coal and had
found that the Commodore had also
reached the same conclusion.
Replying to questions concerning the
blockade of Santiago, Captain Cook said
that Commodore Schley's constant idea
wGs that the vessels should be kept well
supplied with coal and kept moving con-
stantly as his theory was that the Span
ish fleet would come out of the har-
Dor.
ALWAYS READY FOR ACTION.
'Why was the circular blockade not
adopted?" asked Mr.. Hanna.
There are many forms of blockade and
/ have nothing but praise for the cir
cular blockade" replied the witness,
''but the idea was to get the Spaniards
to come out and to have our ships NOV
ing and ready for action
What were your orders of battle from
May 10 to June 1st?''
1--WE did not have any The fleet was
always in condition for action
do you call that battle order?"
"It is possible to have an order for
battle if you know just what conditions
,, you are going to meet. The idea with us
was to be able to fight the Spanish deet
whenever we should meet it. / think
that was understood by ALL / certainly
so understood it,"
"If.t the feet had come out of the harbor
previous to June 1st, what would you
. "