Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-30
CROSSE EXAMINATION
STANDS COMPLETED
II Now Being Finished Members OF the
Court Will Submit Many Questions
To Admiral Schley.

records before him, He omitted to men-
ton In that communication, he SAID,
Admiral SIMPSONS caution at Key
West. He had prepared II largely from
memory. In further support Of his
position the admiral read the depart
ment's instruction of May Is, specific
ally warning the commander-in-chief
against risking armored vessels to the
fire of land batteries. He was cross
questioned closely as to all the orders
bearing upon this subject He said he
had never seen, until he saw them In
the report, the orders of April 6 and
April IS modifying to some extent the
original order. But he had been ad-
Nised Of their purport.
In your report OF June l TO the ue-
partment concerning the reconnaissance
you did not mention any purpose 10
sink or destroy the ColonY
DIDN'T MENTION COLON.
II did not"
"But in your telegraphic report you
did say that your purpose was to des-
troy the Colon
Incidentally, yes"
WHAT SIGNALS INSTRUCTED
The Judge advocate then asked the
admiral to tell exactly what his pur-
pose was on that occasion and what IN
structions he had given. Replying that
he had testified fully on this subject
before, he said the signals made IN
dicated the purpose The signals In
structed the ships to use their big guns
against the Colon. The New Orleans
with her lighter battery was directed
to fire at the shore batteries, The IN
struction was TO 60 In to 1000 yards
and he thought until several days az
terward that the ships had gone into
that distance. II directed the ships
TO follow the flag, to operate against
the Colon and to fire against the forts
TO develop them and ! think the recon
Nuisance, so far as 1t went, was emin-
emily successful. The batteries were
developed and the fact was demonstrate
ed that the enemy was in port With
a squadron of only five or six ships,
believed that only the strongest mill
tary necessity would have justified me
In risking the loss of a vessel that
might have reduced our squadron to a
numerical force inferior to that Of the
oeen crippled the enemy might have
come out and engaged US with destruc-
tive results. The development OF the
Notifications as TO the batteries and
the ships, was, In my opinion, SUFFICIENT.
rhe enemy's ships could not set away
and they did not get away"
The admiral was then asked whether
he had informed Ensign Macy, Capt.
Cook and Correspondent Graham that
the AFFAIR OF May 81 was to b a recon-
Nuisance. He thought he had In a
general way and be thought he could
be fairly said 20 have informed the cap
tains by the signals hoisted.
Did you signal to the commanding
officers that 1t was TO be a reconnais-
ance?"
"No, think not think ] slgnaled
that we should go in and fire our large
guns."
"Did the aieair develop without ques-
ton the presence OF the enemy in the
harborg"
II thought so, because Of the large
shells fired at US, and also because a
number Of vessels were SEEN"
SIGNAL NOT TO GO IN CLOSER.
Referring again to the alleged signal
not to 60 in closer, Admiral Schley said
he did not consider IL probable that II
sent Il was sent because any vessel had
shown a disposition to go in. mo one
was more anxious than | was to go In
on that day he said
Capt. Lemly asked why the mouth Of
Santiago harbor had not been en-
filaded and all the ships used on May
81.
Admiral schley replied that he had
not done so simply because the bat
teries would have been safe while the
ships used thus would have been plac-
ed in greater danger.
This is like many arrangements
which We might me- whSh We do not
make. The question OF coaling was so
important and had been so strongly
urged by the communicated |
felt We should lose no opportunity OF
putting the ships In the highest condl-
ton OF efficiency" he said,
why did YOU not steam more slow
ly as you passed the mouth OF the har-
bor?n