Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1901-10-14
THE SCHLEY BOARD
OF INQUIRY.
The Blockade Was Established I'M
mediately Upon the Arrival Of
the Squadron off Glen
fuegos.
CAPTAIN COOKS TESTIMONY
Captain McOalla Was Sent Ashore to Com
municate With the Insurgents as Soon
as Their Signal Lights Were Seen
Thought Oervera Was Trapped.

Washington, Oct. 14.-Captain Fran
els A. Cook was the first new witnes
in the Schley court today. He wa
called by the navy department, but i
| ing the war, Cook was commander o
the flagship Brooklyn, and also Schley'
chief of staff. His appearance on tn,
stand created considerable interest
Other witnesses summoned by the de-
partment for today We're Lieutenan
| Commander VIM. F. Fullam, who was
on the New Orleans during the Santa.
go campaign, and Lieutenant Jos
! Beale, who was on the scout ship Har.
ward, and who volunteered to &c
ashore to ascertain whether the Span
ish fleet under Cervera was in the har-
Dor at Santiago. These are the last
witnesses Judge Advocate Lemly eX-
poets to call for the present and wiz i,
he will rest
In giving reasons for the departure
CT the flying squadron for Cienfuegoa
Captain Cook said the sqrad,on had
been sent to that port "to intercept the
Spanish squadron, it having been de-
termined, as we believed at that time
by them to make Cienfuegos their OBJ
jective point"
Cook detailed the conversation be-
tween Schley and Captain Chester,
while the squadron was en- route to
Cienfuegos, about coaling on the south
ern coast of Cuba.
II think they consulted a chart"
said Cook, land something was said
about Cape Cruz. 1 recollect my i'm
pressions at that time were that Cape
Cruz did not seem a favorable place
for coaling ships from colliers.'
Cook said upon arriving off Cienfue-
gos on May 20, the blockade was i'm
mediately established, as the firing of
guns was heard and it was believed
Cervera had arrived and fete in hon.
or of his appearance was on.
Did you see any signal-lights on
shore while you were there?"
SoI lAAC III IlllllS dllCI VIC dIIlNOu
on May 22.'
When Captain McCalla arrived and
conferred with Schley the signals We're
mentioned. He threw up his hands
and said: "rhe insurgents want to
communicate with you;" and added,
well, T can go there and find out at
once'
The commodore told him to be off as
soon as possible, and added: "You can
send a boat across and let me know as
soon as possible"
Il judged the signal to have been
about six or seven miles to westward
three lights, one ahead of the other.
There was some discussion whether
these We're signals that the enemy were
going there or were already there. But
of one thing am very positive, the
commodore was satisfied he had them
in there at that time.''
Hanna questioned the witness con-
cerning the arrival of the Iowa and
Dupont off Cienfuegos. Cook said they
brought dispatches and he gathered
from conversation with Schley after
their receipt, that it was the idea of
both Sampson and Schley that they
should continue to hold Cienfuegos.
Cook testified that Schley told him
that the Hawk had brought orders for
the squadron to proceed to Santiago if
he, the commodore, was satisfied that
the Spaniards were not at Cienfuegos;
but Schley said: II still believe they
are here"
IF satisfied that the Spaniards were
at Ciefuegos, why did you leave
there?" asked Hanna. Because of
McCalla's report from the insurgents
on shore"
THAT, then, made it clear that the
Spaniards were not there?"
Entirely"
The departure of the flying squadron
for Santiago, the witness said, was
made after dark in order to conceal it's
intentions and the lights were dark
ened for the same purpose.
He had never been especially anx-
ious about the coal supply Of the
Brooklyn. The supply on the Texas,
however, was light.
The commodore said to him: 1--WE
must keep the ships in fighting trim"
They consulted charts, looking for a
place fit for coaling. Finally, he said,
they hit upon Gonaives bay.
Cook said: my impression is that
I, rt -.
tiago and if he found it practicable to
coal from Golfers there, he should
stay If they got too short Of coal he
would go to Gonaives bay or try some-
where else.'
What was the conduct and bearing
of Commodore schley under fire on
such occasion as you had opportunity
of observing?" Hanna asked.
II always regarded him as an en-
brave and patriotic off,
Ger; never any other way" replied the
witness.
Cook also testified that he (Cook)
gave orders for the Brooklyn's loop at
the battle Off Santiago, and considered
the movement eminently successful.
Witness, in response to questions,
detailed the retrogade movement Of
the flying squadron toward Key West,
beginning on May 26. He said his first
that such movement was
to be undertaken was when he re-
ceived orders to move. He had, he
said, informed Commodore Schley on