The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-05
THE COURT OF INQUIRY
REACHES ARGUMENT STAGE
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was not significant as showing that
coaling at sea was impracticable He
said the evidence on this point did not
prove that coaling was impractlcaole.
This brought Mr.. Hanna 70 the con-
sideration of the point in controversy
between Admiral Schley and Capt.
McCalla concerning the interview be-
tween them which occurred May "a, In
which Can't. MeCalla said Admiral
Schley had said the English had de-
monstrated that coaling at sea is not
feasible, while he feared that II ne
should return ia Key West he would
be court martialed.
Mr. Hanna did not in this connection
refer further to this interview than
to state that Admiral Schley denied
it's accuracy. He then proceeded to
follow the operations Of the flying
squadron and quoted a number Of Ad-
rniral Schleys dispatches. He said the
time Of leaving Cienfuegos was under
order No. s, telling him that If he was
satisfied the Spanish fleet was at Glen
fuegos to proceed with all dispatch but
cautiously to Santiago.
How it was possible" said the
speaker, ''in view of this order, to
represent to the commander that he
would move next day, is ineXplicable.
Schley had reported that he would not
leave until the 18th he did actually
start on the evening of the oath
Mr. Hanna also quoted the order di-
recting that If possible the squadron
should leave before daylight of that
day. He thought 1t should be con-
strued as a message of urgent neces-
sity. almost every word of this mes
sage imparts haste and urgency said
Ia. q, a11 A1
1.-THE commander in chief did not ex-
pect Commodore Schley to remain at
Cienfuegos after its receipt
He then proceeded to show that
while this dispatch bore the same date
as No. it was really later, because
while No. had been dated at Key
West the above order had not been
written until the arrival of Admiral
Schley at Cienfuegos. CLEARLY then"
he said, Commodore Schley was I'M
der urgent instructions to leave for
Santiago. He did not do SO. He did not
leave until the evening of the next
day."
Mr.. Hanna then took up the third
specification of the precept, concern
ing the cruise from Cienfuegos to San
tiago. He admitted that the Eagle had
delayed the progress of the squadron
but said this was not due to the
weather but to water in her compart-
ments. 1.-THE testimony was" he said,
uniform to the effect that the run
was a slow one and that it did not
proceed with dispatch as directed Re
ference was made in this connection
to the sending away of the Eagle to
Port Antonio for coal and Commander
Southland's testimony was quoted to
the effect that the Eagle could have
coaled from t, . collier Merrimac.
"As to whether the fighting ships
should have been held back for the
Eagle I do not express an opinion be-
fore this court" said Mr.. Hanna, and
then with this sentence he landed the
squadron rs miles south of Santiago,
May 26 and then took up the-retro-
grade movement.
Mr.. Hanna said there had been no
explanation of the fact that the squad
ron had stopped so far south of San
tiago nor of the circumstances that
after passing the longitude of Sant-
ago he had continued to the eastward
except that on the latter point Ad-
miral Schley had said that at the time
he was asleep.
1t was at this point that the scout
boats, st. Paul and Yale, were en-
countered and Mr.. Hanna referred to
this incident, narrating Capt. Sigsbee'
visit to Commodore Scnley On podIu
the Brooklyn, and the contradictory
testimony concerning the purport of
the captain's communication for him
self and Capts. Jewell and Wise. He
quoted Capt. Sigsbees testimony to the
effect that he had not told the com
mander that the Spanish fleet was not
in Santiago, and also gave Admiral
Schley's version of the inerview,
claiming that Sigsbee did say that the
Spaniards were not there.
Mr.. Hanna also referred to the testl-
mony of Ensign Marble saying that
Sigsbee had said that he knew that the
Spaniards were not in the harbor Mr..
Hanna thought there could be no DIM
Guilty in explaining the apparent con-
tradictions. Capt. Sigsbee was an ofn-
Ger of experience and knew very well
that the fact that he had not seen the
fleet was not evidence that the fleet
was not there. If Capt Sigsbee had
said positively the fleet were not in the
inside. Commodore Schley should have
refused to accept it as utterly illogical.
Continuing, Mr. Hanna said: II
should think that if Commodore Schley
had received information that set his
mind at rest sufficiently to warrant his
turning his squadron back toward Key
West. convinced him conclusively that
the Spanish fleet was not there, ne
would surely have stated that in his
next telegram to the department."
Discussing the Nunez incident. Mr.