The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-05
He Says IL the Brooklyn and Texas
Were I'm Danger of Collision
He Did Not See IL.
FUEL OF FLYING SQUADRON
sUPPLY SET FORTH IN DETAIL BY
LIEUT.. &. w. DYSON.
Commander HodgsOn Also Gives Par
ticuIars of the Santiago Fight
--RaynOr and LemIy Spar.

WASHINGTON. oct 4-In the schley
naval court of inquiry Mr.. Raynor. chief of
counsel for Admiral Schley, asked Judge
Advocate Lemly to summon Admiral Samp-
son as a witness in the case. The request
grew ont Of a difference in the construc-
tion Of a sentence in Admiral SIMPSONS
letter to Commodore Schley written from
Key West May - while Commodore Schley
with th-' flying squadron lay off Cienfuegos.
This is known as the Dear Schley' letter
and IN it printed in the Navy Depart
ment documents supplied To the Senate the
admiral said, after expressing his opinion
that Notwithstanding the report that the
Spanish squadron was in Santiago it were
better to continue To blockade Cienfuegos
and Havana. I'VE shall continue to hold
Havana and Santiago until we receive
more positive information
During the examination of Commander
Raymond p. Rodgers this dispatch was
der consideration when Mr. Raynor ex-
pressed the opinion that the word San
tiago had been inadvertently used by the
commaDder-in-chief assuming that he
meant to use the word Cienfuegos as bet
ter corresponding with the text As the
document was printed there was a paren-
thetical note, 10 which Admiral Schley's
initials were attached. saying that evil
IDENTIFY the wrong city had been mentioned.
Mr.. Raynor asked Judge Advocate Lemly
TO make this concession, but the latter de-
ciined 10 do so, saying that he would pro-
duce the original OF Admiral SIMPSONS
dispatch 10 prove that he had said San
Bago. Then Mr.. Raynor said:
4 caisnOt take that word Santiago to
mean Anything but CienfuegOs. 1t
imputat3On Commodore Schley, and 1
cannot permit il 10 rest without summon
n he rff fffsr .f hot afrNf ~
Captain Lemly responded:
have told you once before you can
summon any one you please"
CALLS FOR SAMPSON
Then. retorted Mr. Raynor summon
Admiral Sampson"
This occurred only a short time before
the Adjournment of the court for the day.
and was the subject of more or less con-
versatiOn of animated character after the
days W 9rk was concluded. Mr.. Raynor
would only say that he would insist on the
admiral being summoned unless the point
Is conceded.
The witnesses for the day were Lieut.. c.
w. Dyson, OF the Bureau of Steam Engi-
neering, concerning the coal supply of the
flying SQUADRON; Commander Raymond T.
hodgers. VINO was second i'm command of
the battleship Iowa during the Spanish
war and carried Admiral Simpsons dis
patches of May 20 to Commodore Schley,
and Commander AlbOn G. HOdgsOn. who
was the navigator of the flagship Brook
lyn. While Commander Rodgers was on
the stand Mr.. Raynor submitted a com
putatiOn OF shells from the American fleet
which had struck the wrecked vessels of
Cervera's squadron. showing that at least
"a per cent. OF them were fired by the
Brooklyn. This computation. Mr.. Raynor
said, had been prepared by Admiral Schley
on the basis of report made by a board
OF survey, OF which the witness was the
senior member. Commander HodgsOn gave
a graphic description OF the battle off San
tiagO, describing the part taken I'm ii by the
BROOKLYN and explaining i'm tba
entry of that vessels log.
Captain Dawson, of the marine corps who
was on the stand yesterday. was called
to correc- the official copy of his testimony
lie said that while he had not seen the
Brooklyn swing with starboard helm he
was sure that she did SO swing
Lieutenant Dyson. who was the wit
journed. was then recalled. He had added
20 his coal history of the fleet information
as To how long the supply OF coal on hand
May - would have held out under forced
draft. The information was contained in
chart which was read by judge Ad-
the same Information from tabular state
ment. The chart covered the period from
May Is To June ]. II showed that on MAY
rs the Brooklyn's supply of coal was s52
tons. the lowa's Isl tons. the Texas's 40S
tons and the Marbleheads 122 tons. He
said that on May "a the Brooklyn had coal
enough aboard TO have remained on block
ade duty off Santiago for twenty-five days
and then &c have returned To Key West the
Massachusetts enough TO remain seventeen
days and then go To Key West the Iowa
enough for eleven days. the Texas seven
days and the Marblehead one day This
was ASSUMING that they would have gone
BY the Yucatan channel He also gave an
estimate of the length of time they could
have remained and gone TO GOnaives chan
mel. Cape Cruz. Mole St Nicholas Kings
ton. Port Antonio. Jamaica and Guantan-
amo bay. the time OF remaining on blockade
icing increased the distance to the
various points diminished.
Considerable time was devoted TO ampli-
fcatiOn of this subject, showing the steam
ing radius at varying speeds, etc. 1t was
n in toll
ing on the possibility OF cOaling at sea.
THE IOWA'S DISPATCHES
Lieutenant Dyson was followed on the
stand by Commander Raymond Z. Rodgers
who was executive officer OF the battleship
Iowa during the summer of 1S9S He testi-
fed TO leaving Key West on May 10 for
Cienfuegos, TO join the flying squadron
Before leaving he had. as a representative
OF Captain Evans. he said conference
with Commander-in-chief Sampson at
which Captains Taylor and Chadwick were
present. At thai time he was told by Ad-
miral Sampson that he had received infor-
nation from the department al Washing
ton that the Spanish fleet under CeVeId
probably was IN the harbor at Santiago
lie had moi. however. oeeu informed of any
secret code or communication with the
Cuban insurgents near CienfuegOs. He had
taken dispatches for Commodore Schty
and while not certain whether there was
more than one package he was under the
impression there was more than that num-
Der. one OF the dispatches carried at this
time was. the witness thought. that signed
BY Secrcta~v Long and dated Washington
y - O'ciol May % and beginning: The
report of Spanish fleet being at Santa
~ de Gu might very well be correct.
the dep went strongly advises tnat
you send VOL immedia tely by the Iowa TO
schley TO pro ed of Santiago with his
whole eanman leaving one small vessel
en- Cienfuegos
CAPTAIN Rcd fas examiD~d at length