The St. Louis Republic., 1901-10-17
Ensign of the Brooklyn Repeats
the Epigrammatic Orders That
Were Issued From the
Flagship July 3.
MESSAGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
Signal Book Traces Every Move
ment. From the Appearance
Of the Enemy to the
Burial of the Dead.
THE coMMoDoRE's BEARING.

Washington. Oct. 16.-The officers of Ad
mtral Schley's flagship. Brooklyn. occupie
attention Of the Schley Court of Inquir,
for the entire day. The proceedings begai
with the recall of Captain Cook and Lieu
tenant Commander Sears. both of whom
made material additions to their forme
testimony. and they were followed in sue
cession by Commander n. f. Mason. VIII
| was the executive officer of the Brooklyn
Lieutenant Edward McCauley. Jr.. VIII,
was signal officer. and Lieutenant Charlie
| Webster, who had charge Of the forwar,
gun deck battery of the Brooklyn durin,
the battle of Santiago and was a watcl
officer on board that ship.
Captain Cocks new testimony related Il
the uncoupling of the Brooklyn's engines
and to the voyage of the Flying Squadron
from Cienfuegos to Santiago, explaining II
some detail the cause Of the slow progress
made on that occasion.
Commander Sears spoke again of the con
versation reported as having taken place
between himself and officers of the Massa
| chusetts in the wardroom of that vesse
| on May 81. in which he was alleged to have
said that it had been difficult to get Com
| modore Schley up to the point of under
| taking the bombardment of the Colon. ant
he again denied that he had said anything
rejecting upon his superior officer.
Commander Mason and Lieutenants Nc
| Cauley and Webster all gave accounts o.
the engagement of July 3. Mr.. McCaules
| recited in detail the signals made in con
nection with that historical event at the
instance of Commodore Schley.
| When asked IL Commodore Schley had
! said anything during the battle for the en-.
couragement of the men this witness re-
piled that he several times had said: "Give
'em hell. bullies."
All of these witnesses testified that the
/ conduct of the Commodore when under
fire was cool and courageous.
EXPLAINING THE DELAY
AND UNCOUPLED ENGINES.
Captain Cook was on the witness stand
at the morning session. for the purpose OF
correcting his testimony. Mr.. Hanna asked
him:
referring to your statement in regard to
the steam required to be kept up, in con-
nection with the uncoupling Of the Brook
lyn's engines, that 1t was the order OF the
commander-in-chief while lying on Santa
go on the blockade. Was that a written
order?"
my recollection is that it was a bulle-
tin. The exact words 1 do not remember.
..The particular point was with respect
to the uncoupling of the engines. Was
there anything in that order on this sub
iect and in pursuance of which that was
done?''
'It is my impression that there was.
They all, as I understand 1t. had their en-
gines uncoupled."
1T is q general recollection of it only?"
eyes that we should have our forward en-
gines uncoupled all the time"
"Can you aid US In any way in Identifying
the bulletin from your Impression?
mo. We could not have moved the -four
engines with the steam We carried. know
that We had an order about the speed and
it was in a circular bulletin. think:
Captain Cook was also questioned again
concerning the voyage OF the Flying
Squadron from Cienfuegos to Santiago, as
follows:
"Did the Flying Squadron. when proceed
| ing from Cienfuegos to Santiago. proceed
with all dispatch?'
Throwing out of consideration the sur
rounding circumstances and conditions that
| have already been testified to. l should say
no."
Mr. Rayner: But putting in the surround
| ing circumstances and conditions, you would
say yes would you not?'
"Yes."
What do you mean by the surrounding
| circumstances and conditions?"
| 81 mean that, as / understand the ques-
tion We could have gone to Cienfuegos and
Santiago and arrived there the next day
after We left Cienfuegos. with some. If moi
all, of the larger vessels
Lieutenant Commander Sears also made {
correction in his testimony for the purpos'
Of explaining the disposition Of the collier
at night. while Commodore Schley was II
charge of the blockade of Santiago. He sait
these vessels had been sent a distance ou
l nt~vkk l. at
rections on account Of the fear Of TORPEDO
| attacks
The Court questioned Commander Scar.
on various points covered by his testimon!
OF yesterday. He said in reply to thes'
questions that on the morning Of July tn
Brooklyn had begun turning to starboart
Immediately after the engines were started
that the helm of the Brooklyn had been pu
e-port when the helm of the Viscaya hat
been put A.port. ''It was. he said. e;
practically simultaneous movement" H
also said that when he had said to Com
modore schley during the battle that h
| thought the Brooklyn was about its tactica
diameter from the viscaya. he did not meal
that the distance was less than had beel
reported by Yeoman Ellis. The tactical di
ameter of the Brooklyn had not then beel
| determined, and he had supposed it to b
1 about no yards.
The viscaya had been passed long afte
the Brooklyn's turn, and they ran along to
gether for some time. After the Colon ha,
passed the viscaya. she had outfooted tn
Brooklyn, and 1t was then that she was Il,
900 yards from the Brooklyn, as indicated b.
the stadimeter. which the witness said h
did not consider an accurate instrument
After that time, the Colon. having ex
hausted her best coal, lost her speed. an
the Brooklyn gained upon her.
Asked how much time had been consume
in the Brooklyn's turn, Commander Scar
said the time had seemed very short t
him-it might have been fifteen or twent,
| minutes.
ANOTHER VERSION OF THE
FIGHT OFF SANTIAGO.
Lieutenant Commander Sears was the
excused. and Commander Mason was calle
as the first new witness of the day.
Commander Mason detailed the siege o.
Cienfuegos, and also referred to the block
ade Of Santiago. Mr.. Rayner then asked tn,
| witness how many times he had seen Com
modore Schley under fire, to which ne re
piled: During all the engagements"
what was his general conduct, ElaInel
and bearing on these occasions?" My Ray
ner asked.
Excellent in every particular. He wa
calm. collected and brave
Asked to give a brief account of the bat
tie Of July s. Commander Mason, after Civ
ing the preliminaries. said:
"As soon as l reported the battery I,
Captain Cook in the coming tower. asieet
him II We should commence firing. He .e
Piled: Fire as soon as you are ce:iiy.'
immediately gave the order to Lieutenan
simpson to fire as soon as he could, 81 nm!
MIN range Of $500 yards. think the 6-st
Nau5t t~xle