Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-01
Says the Weather on May
25 Was Very
Bad.
HIS VESSEL AFFECTED
Was Heavy Craft, tToo-schley
Court of Inquiry Re-convenes and
James Miller is Placed on the
stand-Reads From Logs. .sa

Washington, Sept. 30.-James Miller
who commanded the collier Merrimac
while the vessel was a part of Schleys
flying squadron, was the first witness
before the court of inquiry today. He
read from the log showing the Iowa,
Massachusetts, and Castine, coaled
from the Merrimac May 2S and "a. No
record was found of the coaling of any
vessel on the following two days, the
time of which was consumed
in proceeding from Cienfuegos
to Santiago. The sea and wealth
er was very bad on the twenty
fifth and the Merrimac, although a
heavy vessel, was affected.
The witness said late in the after
noon of May 26 a valve broke on the
Merrimac, but the weather and the sea
were such he believed he could have
coaled the vessel up to the time of the
breakdown. Asked if vessels could
have been coaled while the Merrimac
was in tow of the Yale, the witness
replied that was suppositiQuS ques-
IL,
AS a matter of fact she did not coal
any vessel while in tow. On all the
days from May % to 81, except on the
day when enroute from Cienfuegos to
Santiago, and when disabled the Mer-
rimac had vessels alongside for the
purpose of coaling and they had been
coaled from the Collier.
Questioned regarding his objection,
k~
objected because he did not like to
have two battleships alongside the col
lier at the same time owing to their
tendency to roll and their liability of
crushing the collier. 1t was not so
much on account ofithe weather as the
presence of battleship on either side.
Would Have obeyed Orders.
In reply to question by the court
the witness said he knew of no point
where the vessels could have founl
protection from the sea May "a unless
far to the eastward of Cienfeugos. If
he had been ordered to coal any
vessel May 25 he would obeyed, but
if he had his own choice he wouldn't
have coaled that day because of the
nasty weather.
Captain Jewell.
commanded the cruiser Minneapolis,
said he had first fallen in with the fly
ing squadron on the evening of
May 26.
Says SchIey Was Mistaken.
Lemly quoted from Schley's letter
to the senate committee on naval af-
fairs dated February 1S, 1899, saying
after having been informed by the
loI NV OHf
Sigsbee, Jewell and Wise, that, al
though they had been off Santiago for
a week, they had seen nothing of Ger
vera's fleet since it left Curacao" and
asked whether he had given Schley
this information, replied:
81 gave him no information with
reference to that subject whatever"
( He also said although within signall-
ing distance of the flag ship, at no
time was he asked any question by
Schley as to the presence of the Span
ish squadron in Santiago.
Capt. Evans Testimony.
Admiral Evans captain of the Iowa
during the war, was the next witness
He was informed the flying squadron
May % was delivering dispatches, the
contents of which were unknown to
him, from Sampson to Schley. He
said nothing was done while the
squadron was off Cienfuegos toward
ascertaining whether Cerveras fleet
was in the harbor The only demon
stration toward destroying or pre-.
venting the enemy's completion of the
batteries in the vicinity of Cienfugoes
was the Sunday when Schley formed
the squadron and stood in range to
about mile and a half, made a turn
and stood out again. There was no
firing on either side. The Iowa's
guns were within easy range. Evans
said he had coaled the Iowa from the
Merrimac May 22 without difficulty
but on the Oath and 25th the weather
was squally and there was bad sea
but he believed he could have coaled
at sea May 27 as the water was
smooth. He did not know why the ret
rograde movement was made. He said
on May 20 the Colon was not in the
harbor but about 500 yards inside
from Morrow Castle.
Tells of Bombardment.
Evans detailed the particulars of the
bombardment of tn Colon May 81,
saying the Massachusetts,, Iowa and
New Orleans participated. But one
shot, that from the Iowa, had struck
anywhere near the Colon. Both of the
Iowas twelye-inch guns We're disabled
because of the high elevation of the
guns at a range of 1850 yards. After
this the boats went back to the block
aiding station.
The judge advocate asked witness
concerning the statement by a lieuten-
ant of the Spanish navy, printed by
the navy department, to tho effect that
at dark ghe American ships withdrew
to the southwark, disappearing.