The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-10-22

! Washington. Oct. H.--Lieutenanr Is
/ W. Wells, jr., who was the flag lieuten-
ant of Admiral Schley while the latter
was in command Of the flying squadron,
occupied practically the entire time OF
the Schley court of inquiry today On
his direct examination he continued MS
/ narrative of the Cuban campaign
! Lieutenant Wells was under cross
! domination for about two and a half
hours. largely at the hands OF MI.
/ Hanna, whose questions were directed
! mainly to dispatches received by Ad-
miral (then Commodore Sc.hley- While
/ this line of investigation was beng OK
/ pOited. Mr.. RaynOr, speaking FOR Ad-
/ miral Schley, said that the admiral
! vas willing TO admit that he had re-
ceived the Dear Schley" letter on the
! Dupont which arrived at CienfueSos on
! May %, but he added that no duplicate
! of this dispatch had ever been received
( by Admiral SChley.
} He also said that the admiral ad-
mitted the receipt of two copies OF NO.
g. Admiral SIMPSONS dispatch, saying
that the Spanish fleet was probably at
/ Santiago, and telling Commodore
Schley: If satisfied that it (the Span
ish neet is not at Cienfuegos proceed
with all dispatch to Santiago" one of
these being received by the Hawk. May
g. and the other by the Marblehead,
May "a.
day, and he Will continue his testimony
tomorrow.
Range Of Brooklyn's Fire.
Lieutenant B. w. Wells, jr., VINO was
on the stand when the court adjourned
Friday, was then recalled and testified
regarding the battle Of July ). he said
he did not remember the ranges al
which the Brooklyn fired, but thought
l1,1OO yards was the shortest. He de
scribed the turn Of the Brooklyn and
the chase after the Spanish ships
When the Niscaya ran ashore the Colon
was about 10000 yards ahead of the
Brooklyn, and for a time firing ceased
He said that he had received orders
to get a quantity of rapid-fire ammu-
milton. Owing TO the character OF the
coast 1t was expected that the Brook
Ign and the Colon would come to close
quarters. He was ordered 10 have this
ammunition ready TO close with the
Colon and give her a rapid fire when
fthey got close together lie then de-
scribed the right of the chase and the
final surrender Of the Colon. He said
he had not seen the Texas when the
Brooklyn made her turn. At one time
during the battle, he said, the Brook
Ign seemed to be alone engaging three
ships.
Mr.. Raynor-Did any vessels pass the
blockade, either at Cfenfuegos or at
Santiago and without the authority
of the commodore?
mo, sir; none without his authority.
The Adula passed with his permission
at Cienfuegos. and at Santiago the
British cruiser interchangeable came 10
the blockade and asked permission to
go in. which was granted, but she did
not avail herself of the opportunity
She then withdrew"
When Lieutenant Wells finished his
description of the battle the question
Of dispatches was taken up.
Dispatch to Schley.
A number of dispatches We're shown
to the witness, and he was asked as to
their receipt by Commodore Schley.
One, from Secretary Long to the Amer
lean consul at Kingston, dated Wash
ingtOn, May 3. saying that it must be
delivered to Schley at once, and in
forming him (Schley) that unless un-
. safe for his squadron, the department
| wished him to remain off Santiago,
: and asking if he could not take posses
sion of Guantanamo as cOaling sta
, ton; also dispatch from Secretary
: LOng to Captain Cotton of the Har-
! ward, dated Washington. May %. en-
, closing dispatches to Commodore
Schley. telling him to hold on at ali
hazards that the New York. Oregon
and New Orleans We're on the way.
also two dispatches from Secretary
Long to the dispatch boat Harvard.
dated Washington, May 80, one in
o | forming him that the cOmmander-in-
chief had started to join him. and the
other telling him that Sagua, twenty
q five miles east of Santiago. Iad been
/ reported as a good place to land, from
. which il would be easy TO reach the
q heights In the rear of Santiago, the
+ witness said had been received on Mas
81.
: The cablegram from Secretary Long
: dated Washington, May p. to the cable
? office at Mole st. Nicholas. directing
that it be delivered to the next Amer
. lean war vessel to arrive, and inform
= ing Commodore Schley that the mos
9 absolutely important thing TO know
= now is whether the Spanish fleet is il
: santiago. etc. was shown the witness
He stated that it had been received
by the commodore on May 30. Tn,
Colon had been discovered in the har
Dor of Santiago by Commodore Schle,
on the morning of the 29th of May.
7 Soundings of the Harbor.
Mr. Raynor at this point exhibited .
chart. upon which there were nota
IL tons regarding the soundings takol
h the strength of the batteries there, thi
e information being given as Of dat
April .. 1898.
Now. give me the date the navy de
q partment issued the order which ha
y been referred TO in this case about no
u Gripping ships by the shore batteries
= asked Mr.. RayrOr-
, April 8, 1895. was the response.
MY faNnOf asked the witness II n
had any other Information in referenc
To the batteries at Santiago. excep
q that given on the map referred to. II
III stated the commodore had received
n memorandum of information from tn
u bureau of naval intelligence. emboay
4 ing about the same facts as contains
- on the chart
a Mr.. Raynor-Am ! right in sayin
II that YOU perhaps saw more. or as niue
, Of Commodore Schley during the Who'll
OF the Spanish war as anyone else an
= came in contact with him as much a
y anybody
I saw him daily and all throug
Il each day. generally speaking
Did yOu see him during the time &
:, the reconnaissance on May 3I?"
- yes. sir.
ne Did you see him frequently durin
the day of the battle of July D.
No. sir; ] only saw him during tn
chase Of the Colon"
o. Did yoa Sc him during any of Il
IN commandments
i saw him during one Of them, 8,