The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-13

| Ou TcuiFcCt c61uiudlous NIT. I18uu6 brought out the information that the con- graduation to Commodore Schley had been based partially on the capture of the collier with coal for the Spanish fleet, which capture was made by Captain Sigsbee.
 drafted Admtral Sampson's second dis patch of May a, the one sent from Ha- vana, and while the dispatch from Key West, designated as No. & was sent ax I3 o'clock. the second was sent between 5 and o'clock
 and Lieutenant Commander Sidney A. staunton was called. Before the witness took his seat, Judge Advocate Lemfy asked and received permission to put in as evidence Admiral Sampson's of1cial re- port made at Guantanamo Bay August {. 1898.
 Lieutenant Commander staunton selat- cd the particulars of how he secured in- forma ton of the presence of Cervera's fleet at Santiago. He said that while tho fleet under Admiral Sampson lay at Key | West on the morning of May 2oth, he went ashore. While fin the off1ce of Com- modore Remey he said that Captain Alien of the signal office. had called him aside and told him that he had received infor- nation of the presence of the Spanish fleet at Santiago which he believed to be correct. The information was to the ef- feet that the fleet had entered the harbor on May 29th. Information came from an employe of the telegraph office at Havana, who could only send his infor- nation at o'clock. when others were absent from the office there. Captain Allen had. witness said. asked that great secrecy be observed for the protection of the operator on agreeing that the com mandsr-in-chief and his staff should be informed Later the witness had re- | turned to Key West and received con- irmatory information.
 He then stated that on the next morn ing. May 2lst the fleet proceeded to the blockade of Havana, Admiral Sampson being satisfied that the information con corning the presence of the fleet at Sam tiago was correct. The Admiral accord ingly had called up the Hawk and for warded his dispatches to Commodore Schley.
 Captain Lemly: .@reil the court fully from what source the information was
 received concerning the arrival of Ger
 vera's fleet in Santiago I would like you
 to identify the dispatch put into cipher
 at that time. to which you refer,
 '"rhe dispatch referred to as having
 been drawn up by Captain Chadwick in my presence, Is the dispatch known as the
 memorandum that accompanied dispatch No S."
 "Mr Raynor: "The Hawk carried No. 8, Is that right?'
 ':The captain of the Hawk was called l on board and remember his instructions | were to proceed with all speed until he met the Vesuvius and transmit the dis patch to her as she was faster vessel. | As to whether No. 8 was inciosed with this. I was not secretary and did not in- | close it."
 When did the Hawk leave?" | She left the Havana blockade some | distance west of Havana about dusk on 1 May 21, probably about half-past G." | Then you received this information on | May 20 at half-past in the morning and the Hawk left at dusk May a2'' That is correct" The witness said in reply to questions. | that the memoranda beginning: The en- closed instructions will reach you" had not been sent by the Iowa, as the dispatch | was dated May 21 and the Iowa had left | on the day previous. MT. Raynor:. Was not the Hawk the first vessel that carried that memoran- | dum?"
 ITO the best of my knowledge the Hawk | was the first and only vessel that carried that memorandum" replied the witness.
 "The Hawk left on May 21st and the first information you had was about 8 or o'clock on the 20th. When did you | get this second confirmatory information | you speak off?
 q got it on shore at Key West about o'clock on the evening of May 20th."
 Then the confirmatory dispatches, as | understand it, was received twenty-four hours before the Hawk left with this mey1orandum to Commodore Schley. Is | that right?
 ''Yes, at Key West and the. Hawk was sent from Havana"
 Can you give me any subsequent dis l patches or memorandum that passed be- tween Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley in reference to the Spanish squad | ron being at SantiagoP' l. "I do not think can refer you to any. After Admiral Sampson heard that the fleet of Commodore Schley had not left l Cienfuegos, in other words, after he got | a reply from the commander of the flying squadron. he sent the Wasp. l think. about May 26th to Cienfuegos with an additional dispatch. but she, of course. did not arrive there until Commodore Schley had left for Santiago and do not remember what those dispatches were?'
 ''Was that the Wasp?'
 "Yes."
 What date?"
 My impression is she left by the old
 Bahama channel, May 26th"
 Then I understand that between the
 time that the Hawk carried this informa-
 ton to Commodore Schley at dusk on the | evening of May H and the time when this
 dispatch was sent from the Banana | channel on the 26th. there was no com I
 Commodore Schley in reference to the
 Spanish squadron at Santiago. Was
 there?"
 Thought I replied there was no op- | portunity for any
 | After further effort on Mir. Raynor's | part to elicit information as to corespon- dence between the two commanders and | objection on the part of Mir Hanna to e | bringing in dispatches which had no lm- mediate bearing on Commodore Schlsy's l conduct, MT Raynor said there was no l communication between them between May 21 and May 27. He then quoted the | dispatch of May 2 as the first positive | knowledge conveyed to Commodore | Schley of the presence of the fleet at san tiaEo This dispatch was as follows; Limited States Flagship. New York St. Nicholas Channel. May N 1ssS-Sir: Every report. and particularly daily com | hdential reports, received at Key west from Havana state Spanish squadron has been in Santiago de Cuba from the 18th to the 18th instant inclusive, the 2Sth be-