Evening star., 1901-11-05
ARGUMENT OF Mr.. HANNA
COVERED THREE SPECIFICATIONS
OF THE PRECEPT YESTERDAY.
Discusses the Cruise of the FIyIuG
Squadron From CienfueEos aud
schley's Alleged Delay. 4

MFR. Hanna continued his argument before
the Schley court OF Inquiry yesterday after
noon until the adjournment OF the court.
when he concluded his remarks on the first
three specifications OF the precept.
He presented the following points cover
ing the first two specifications, which, he
said, he had made In the form Of inquiries:
l. Why the flying squadron was dilstory
in arriving at cienfuegos.
2. Why the squadron was held there after
the receipt or Sampson's order written and
dated or Havana May q. saying, BE at
/ Santiago May "a"
3. Why nothing was done TO communicate
with the Cubans after the receipt OF the
McCalla memorandum. Sis, May y, ana
particularly why the three light signals
that had attracted general attention on
board the feet were not investigated after
Commodore Schley learned that there were
Cuoans in the neighborhood where such
signals were displayed.
L. Why order No 6, directing that steps
oe taken TO prevent the enemy from con-
tinuing work on certair. new fortifications,
was not obeyed.
.. Why the order directing the masking
OF the movements OF the fleet on leaving
ClenIuegos was not obeyed.
U. The nature and causes Of the current
salu TO have accounted for the s1eamlns OF
the ships off shore at night while on blocE-
ade at Cienfuegos
&. Why. after learning nositive1v tho, .ba
Spanish squadron was not there and ac-
cepting this report conclusive the conn
modore sent official letters and kilograms
saying not that he would leave. al once bI,t
on the following day.
;. why the commodore failed 10 report to
any high authority that he actually ala
Ieave Cfenfuegos on the evening of the
Efth' III, as appears. he did SO fail TO report;
and generally:
" Why irrespective of signals orders. or
slds from any source. the commanding Of
ncer OF the flying squadron did not whfIe
at Clenfuegos, of his own motion and with
the resources under his command do some
thing to gain information of the Spanish
fleet.
The Run to Santiago.
Mr. Hanna then took up the third speci-
hcatlon Of the precept, concerning the
cruise from Cienfuegos to Santiago. He ed
mitted that the Eagle had DELAYED tb,
progress of the squadron. but said this was
not due to the weather, but to water in
her compartments. The testimony was he
SAID uniform to the effect that the run was
slow one, and that it did not proceed ntth
dispatch, as directed
Reference was made In this connection
to the sending away of the Eagle TO Port
Antonio for COAL and Commander Souther-
land s testimony was quoted to the effect
that the Eagle could have coaled from tie
collier Merrimac
LAS to whether the fighting ships sbo,,IJ
nave been held back for the Eagle / do
not express an opinion before this court !"
said Mr.. Hanna, and then, with this SER
tence, he landed the SQUADRON twent,-f1Na
miles south of Santiago, May 26 and then
tcok up the retrograde movement Mr.
Hanna said there had been no exclamation
or the fact that the squadron had stopped
so far south of Santiago nor of the ,.tr
he If,,ty do
of Santiago he had continued TO the east
ward, except that on the latter point Al
rnfral Schley had said that at the time he
was asleep.
1t was at this point that the scout boats
ST. Paul, Minneapolis and Yale were en-
cGuntered, and Mr. Hanna referred TO this
incident, narrating Captain Sigsbees visit
to Commodore Schley on board the Brook
lyn and the contradictory Testimony con-
cerning the purport of the captains COM
munication for himself and Captains IewclI
and Wise. He quoted Captain Sgsbca's
testimony to the effect that he had not told
the commodore that the Spanish fleet was
not in Santiago, and also gave Admiral
Schley's version of the interview. claiming
that Sigsbee did say that the Spaniards
were not there. Mr.. Hanna also referred
to the testimony of Ensign Marble saving
that Sigsbee had said that he knew thar
the Spaniards were not I'm the harbor
Mr.. Hanna thought there could be no diff
hculty In explaining the apparent contra
dictions. Captain Sigsbee was an officer of
experience ana Knew very well that the
fact that he had not seen the feet was
hot evidence that the fleet was not there.
If Captain Sigsbee had said positively the
fleet was not on the inside, Commodore
Schiey should have refused to accept il as
utterly Illogical.
Continuing, Mr.. Hanna said: Il should
think that If Commodore Schley had re-
ceived Information that set his mind at rest
sufficiently to warrant his turning HIS
squadron back toward Key West convinced
him conclusfvely that the Spanish fleet was
not there, he would surely have stated that
In his next telegram TO the department
Discussing the Nunez incident Mr. Ham
ra said: IF the pilot Nunez had been in
terrogated on board the BROOKLYN as he
was before this court, the fact that he
knew nothing of twin screw vessels would
have been developed, and In view of thc
Importance of the movement there should
have been complete investigation"
The RetrOgrade Movement
At this point Mr. Hanna took up specifi-
cation four, referring to the retrograda
movement He said that I'm making this
movement Commodore Schley had not only
taken away from Santiago the fighting
ships Of the flying squadron. but also the
scout vessels located there by the govern
ment to watch the mouth of the harbor.
During this time" he said. the gates Of
the harbor were left entirely unguarded.
and it was not our fault that Cervera's
feet did not get away without being de-
stroyed."
At o'clock the court adjourned untIl
this morning.
TO WIDEN SHERMAN AVENUE.