The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-12-20

prolonged, interesting and important
naval tribunal ever held in this country
came to a close today, having in open
and secret session lasted three months.
short of one week, when Secretary Long
was handed the findings Of the court OF
inquiry which inquired into the conduct
Of Rear Admiral Schley during the
Santiago campaign.
The result was a complete surprise
and it is probable that no prophecy has
approached the truth. Instead of one
report there are two. Both are signed
by George Dewey, president. and by
sam C. Lemly. IS judge advocate. This
is a form said to be recognized in AID
courts of inquiry, the signatures Of the
other members not being necessary
put il is explained that Admiral Dewey
signed the second report, a minority re-
port to express his qualification or dis
sent from the views expressed by the
court, comprising beside himself Ad-
mirals Benham and Ramsay. in the first
report.
1t is said at the navy department.
that there will be no further proceed
ings in this celebrated case on the de-
DaILIIlElll - lI1IlIdlINC" LIVING
and Judge Advocate Lemly positively
declined to discuss the findings in any
phase. The secretary received he re-
ports at ) o'clock this evening and he
has not yet acted upon them. 1t Is
probably that he will simply append hls
signature with n WORD dpproVeu
to the whole record
A representative of The Associated
Press conveyed the first information OF
the findings of the court to Admiral
Schley. He was seated in the pubhc
reception room of a hotel, chatting with
friends and several newspaper men, and
evinced no signs of over
the outcome.
When the conclusions o. Admiral
Dewey were read to him, Admiral
Echley showed his pleasure. and 1t was
evident from his manner that he re-
garded the statements from Admiral
Dewey as a vindication Of his course
He declined to make any statement
concerning the courts findings and, eX-
susing himself from the little company
which a gathered about him, went tC
his apartments, where Mrs. Schley mao
been anxiously waiting to near the
courts decision. Later. the official cop
was brought to the hotel by a messen-
ger from the navy department.
The report is given below:
I'm ma of the Report.
In6Te are Two I0poI -, <AoAhAA ch"
kam and Admiral Ramsay concurrlng IN
the first. which is signed by Admiral
Dewey also as a matter of form. Ad-
niral Dewey makes a separate report.
The majority opinion finds in br1el
that Admiral Schley should have pro
seeded with the utmost dlspatch TO u
enfuegOS and maintained a close DOCK
-ade: that he should have endeaVored tc
obtained information of the Spanish
souadron there; that he should have
proceeded to Santiago with dispatch
hat he should not have made the ret
rograde movement; that he should nave
obeyed the departments orders; that he
should have e~ndeavored to capture the
Spanish vessels in Santiago; that he die
Hot do his utmost to destroy the Colon
that he caused the squadron to lose dis
lance in the loop of the Brooklyn; tina
he thereby caused the Texas to back
that he did Injustice to Hodgson; tina
his conduct in the campaign was char
2cterized by vacillation and dilitorlnes'
and lack of enterprise; that his officia
reports on the coal supply were mis-
leading and inaccurate and that hi
conduct during the battle was self
possessed and he encouraged iii his owl
person his subordinate officers am
nen.
Admiral Dewey in his report says tina
the passage to Cienfuegos was mad
with all dispatch: that in view of hi
coal supply the blockade of Cienfuego
vas effective: that he allowed tie Adui;
10 enter Cienfuegos to get information
that his passage to Santiago was witt
as much dispatch as possible. eepln
the squadron together; that the block
ade was effective and. finally, that h
was the senior officer off Santiago, II
absolute command and entitled to tn
credit due for the glorious victory which
resulted in the total destruction of tn
Spanish ships.
Finding of the Facts.
The flying squadron. consisting of tn
Brooklyn, Massachusetts, Texas an
Scorpion, -under omInan Of CommC
doTe w. S. Schley, U. S. N, sailed frol
Key West abou s o'clock a. m. of Ma
-. 1898. with orders from the navy de
partment. and from the commanders
chief of the North Atlantic station, I
proceed with dispatch (utmost) o
Cienfuegos to capture the enemy o
that port, if possible, or to blockad
HIM and to maintain the blockade 8
close as possible.
The flying squadron arrived off Cier
fuegos on the morning Of May 22nd ar
established a blockade. During the da
the ships lay OF the port as variol
distances. in no particular order. 4
night they formed in column Of vessel
headed off shore and moved at on
sufficient speed for keeping position
Inc SI1ldIl vessels peTlOl LleO ptCAcl uu'
IN shore of the large ships.
Commodore Schley did not procee
with utmost dispatch off C%ienfueg,
and blockade that port as close as pc
sible.
At 10 O'Clock a. m. May 22nd, Il
Dupont arrived at Cienfuegos with
dispatch from the commander-in-chi
dated Key West, May 20, 1898, while
Informed Commodore Schley of Il
probability of the Spanish squadron b
ing in Santiago de Cuba and order
him to hold Cienfuegos until the T
ceipt of more positive information.
At 1870 o'clock p. m, May %, the Low
arrived at Cienfugos. and at 7 o'clot
y. m, OF the same date the ScorpiC
left CienfuegOs for Santiago.
At SIS o'clock a. m, Of May 23l
Commodore Schley received by the d
patch vessel Hawk the following d
patch and memorandums from t
eommander-in-chief.
Dispatch (No. s. dated Key We
ATou 81 1903 which stated that Z