The age-herald., 1901-09-27
Captain Wise Tells of MOve- mentS of the Squadron
 on May 27
SAYS ADMIRAL WAS NERVOUS
Lieutenant Wood Testifies About Visit To the Brooklyn to Carry Dis patches From Sampson-Was
 Asked Many Questions.


 court of inquiry was in session for only an hour and three-quarters today, ad- journing at 12:45 in order to permit its members and others engaged there to at- tend the funeral of Judge Wilson, late chief counsel for Admiral Schley. Captain Wise concluded his testimony Admiral Cotton made a brief statement on recall, and Lieut.. Spencer s. Wood, who com manded the dispatch boat Dupont during the Spanish war, began his testimony.
 Machinist Gray, who was in charge of the starboard engines of the Texas on the day of the battle off Santiago. also testified briefly. He said that on the day of the battle the starboard engines were stopped and the machinery reversed. Captain Wise was questioned L consid- erable length as to what he had done be- fore the arrival of the flying squadron off Santiago towards locating Cevera's fleet in the harbor. He said that while he had satisfied himself of the presence of the Spanish fleet he had been content to com municate his knowledge to Admiral Schley on May 22 while the admiral lay off Cienfuegos. He said Schley seemed very nervous, and especially anxious to know what Sampsons intentions were. He had not concluded his testimony when the court adjourned for the day.
 Continues His Narration.
 Captain Wise who commanded the scout ship Yale during the Spanish war, continued his narration of the retrograde movement of the flying squadron toward Key West on May 27. He first told of how the Yale had taken the Merrimac in tow under direction of Admiral Schley. He said that the admiral had signalled upon starting to ask if there was coal enough to carry him to Key West, to which he had responded in the affirma- tive. On the next day he had reported. in response to an inquiry, that he had coal sufficient for two days of full steam ing or for four days of moderate steam ing. He was then dispatched to Newport News, reporting to Admiral Sampson on the way. He had told Admiral Samp- son, he said, that the flying squadron was about thirty miles west of Santiago.
 In response to a question of the admiral he had said that he did not know what 1t was doing there. In detailing the trip westward toward Key West the witness told of the breaking of the Yales hawser on the Merrimac. He said this had caused delay.
 What was the difficulty?" asked Cap Improper securing of the hawser on the Merrimac."
 Not Due to Weather.
 Was it due to tempestuous weather or not?'
 ''It was not"
 Mir. Hanna read the following extract from Admiral Schey's report of Feb ruary IS, beginning:
 gro the Committee on Naval Affairs in reference to the letter from the Sec retary of Navy of February 6, 1899:
 "'After having been informed by the scouts commanded by such officers as Sigsbee, Jewell and Wise, that although they all had been off Santiago De Cuba for a week they had seen nothing of 1t (the Spanish feet) and knew nothing of its movements or its whereabouts, etc. He then asked Captain Wise Ii he had made such a communication to the admiral
 'I did not" was the response.
 Did you give Admiral Schley any in formation respecting the Spanish squadronY'
 "Only through Captain Sigsbee," was the response. I did not go on board the Brooklyn at all I gave Captain Sigsbee all the information l had"
 Had you been off Santiago for week?'
 q was there from the morning of the 2zd until the evening of the 26th, when the flying squadron arrived
 Captain Wise was cross-examined on this point by MT. Rayner.
 He asked: From the morning of the 22d until the arrival of the flying squad ron on the evening of the 26th, were you trying to get in touch with the enemy and watching the harbor?'
 Yes"
 ''You saw nothing in there?' "I could not see any harbor at all"
 You could see around the corner of Gay Smith?"
 we saw the masts of a small vessel. Could not distinguish what 1t was"
 You sent no one on shore to try and establish communication
 Not at all."
 Isn't the natural condition of the har- bor such that it Is impossible to see con- siderably up the harbor?"
 You can see only a short distance up the harbor."
 And there was nothing in sight what ever. was there?''
 Nothing at all.'
 The witness had said that Captain Sigs- bee had taken the dispatch beginning, "Get in touch with the enemy"
 The court, through Admiral Dewey, asked: Was 1t. your duty or Captain Sigsbee's to convey the information in the dispatch referred to Commodore Schley?'
 "I think it was Captain Sigsbees as he went immediately on duty and I was in tercepted by orders from the commodore to take the Merrimac in tow"
 MT. Hanna: Did you receive any in- quiry or did the commanding officer of the flying squadron ask you for any in- formation at any time?'
 Nothing
 Questions About Signaling.
 MT. Rayner continued his questions. de-