Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-26
INFORMATION OF
CERVERA'S FLEET
Effort of Navy Department Was to Show
That Admiral SChley Had knowledge
of Its Whereabouts.

ago prior to the arrival Of the hying
squadron
~ was senior officer until Capt.
Cotton came on the 29rd. He was there
until the Gath, and / was senior officer
on the 25th and the squadron came
there on the 26th."
did you not direct Capt. Slgsbee TO
give to Commodore Schley the infor-
nation that you had received from the
navy department with regard to the
whereabouts Of the Spanish squadron
II did not"
ADMIRAL COTTON RECALLED.
At this point Capt Wise was ex-
cused and Admiral Cotton was recalled
to make verbal corrections to the tes-
timony previously given by him.
Admiral Cotton was questioned con-
corning some points of the Santiago
campaign. He said that on the morn
ing of May n, after arriving from
Kingston, he had gone aboard the
Brooklyn with dispatches for Admiral
Schley.
Asked by Capt Lemly to relate his
conversation with Admiral Schley on
the occasion OF that visit, he said
He informed me that II had been as
certained that some, at least Of the
ships Of Admiral Cervera's squadron
were within the harbor OF Santiago;
that they had been seen and We're In
sight and, as matter Of fact, one of
them was In sight at the entrance 20 the
harbor. In language. as nearly as | can
remember he said. After dinner | am
going 10 hoist my flag on board the
Massachusetts,, and take her and the
Iowa and go In and have a pot shot
at those fellows
MIR Lemly-Anythlng further?
There was, OF course, some further
conversation. | cannot recall the
words nor aside from what have mem
toned, the particular subjects"
CHIEF MACHINIsT GRAY.
VIM. C. Gray, who was chief maehin-
list on the Texas during the battle of
Santiago on July 3, testified that on
that date he had been on duty at the
throttle Of the starboard engine Of the
battleship. He said that when he went
20 the engine room the vessel was go
ing ahead 1.-THE next signal" he said
was TO stop minute afterward to re-
verse. The engines were then re-
yersed"
The witness said that the reversal
was very brief, the revolutions not ex-
ceeding 100 and the time being sh ort
He had, he said, heard afterward that
the reversal was because they were
passing TIE Brooklyn.
1T, WOOD TEsTIFIEs.
Lieut.. Spencer s. Wood, who CON-
manded the dispatch boat Dupont dur
ing the Spanish war, was the next wit
ness.
Lieut.. Wood related the particulars
OF his mission as q dispatch carrier
from Admiral Sampson lying at Key
West to Admiral Schley, who was off
Clenfuegos. He had left Kew West on
May 20, carrying dispatches of which
the Iowa carried duplicates, and had
reached Cienfuegos several hours IN adj
vance Of the Iowa.
ION my arrival" the witness said. II
went aboard and personally delivered
the dispatches which ] carried from
Admiral Sampson TO Commodore Schley
In his cabin at 2 O'clock He asked
me Admtrafs Simpsons idea about
where the Spanish squadron was.
told him ! did not know; he asked me
OF Admiral SIMPSONS Intentions.
told him ! did not know them. He
told me he thought the Spanish squad
ron was there. The conversation was
on the line TO endeavor TO find out
from me what Admiral Simpsons plans
were, could give him no Informal
ton"
How long were you on board the
nagship?"
Until just before luncheon"
Have you anything further 10 state
with respect TO this interview which
VIII bear on the subject OF this in
quiry?"
"The commodore hesitated some
ABOUT giving me coal. He did not think
ne could spare coal at first. ] said
u was absolutely necessary; that we
We're almost out Of coal. having made
the run from Key West. He said.
very wen, go below and I Will think
II over"
Il went below to the ward room and
was afterwards called up and inform
ca mat they would give me cos.. I |
hau never before met the admiral He |
Impressed me as being very |
nervous He would get up and walk |
around, come back and sit down. and |
number OF questions he asked me |
ABOUT ADMIRAL SIMPSONS intentions |
was unable TO answer"
~ ! understand you clearly you had
~ knowledge of the contents OF the |
ulspatones which You delivered?"
Admiral Sampson did not tell me |
wnal was IN them. He simply told me |
.hose were duplicate dispatches he was
senulng oy the Iowa. Those duplicates.
.nousht me dupont could make better |
y, ! ieit after the Iowa passed her
c w, ape san Antonio and arrived In |
before she did. left Key West M n.
20 n. m. on the GOTH
During this interview In which Va,
made some statements with resnect ~
The admiral's manner had he read The
dispatches? Did he read them IN your
''1'
ooh. yes"
did he advise you Of their contents
then?"
He did not tell me positively what
they were. ! gathered while was
aboard the flagship what they con-
iained. but whether II was while 7 was
IN the cabin or later In the ward room
DO not know. | never saw their con-
ents, and Admiral Sampson never tola
ne what they were"
II wish 20 ascertain exactly the par
iculars OF this interview"
"All the dispatches seemed 10 be OF an
Important character judging from the
ldmiral's manner upon receiving them.
As ] stated, he was very nervous"
Asked by Mfr. Raynor n Admiral
Sampson or any one else had Informed
lin before he left Key West for Glen
uegos that code OF signals had been
greed upon between the American
orces and the Cuban insurgents. Lieut.
Wood replied in the negative. He had
rot. he said. received such information
but he added Il was current
ak AZ Key West that the Marblehead
IN a previous trip had established COM
nunlcation with the Cuhans. II. how