The San Francisco call., 1901-11-18
NAVAL BOARD
IS PREPARING
ITS FINDINGS
Favor Accused Admiral
on Almost Every
Count.
No Substantiation Of the Ac-
cusations limiting at
Cowardice.
May Conclude, However, That schley
Disobeyed Orders Of His supe-
riors in Going to Key West
to Coal.
Special Dispatch to The caIl.


CALL BUREAU. 14O6 G STREET, ".
W., WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE hnd-
| ings Of the naval board that conducted the
Schley investigation will be favorable to
| the accused admiral on most of the points
| involved. Those allegations which have
been proved to be unfounded, or Of minor
Importance even if substantiated, for the
reason that they involved simple questions
of Judgment on the part Of the command
| ing officer, include the slow progress or
| the squadron from Cienfuegos toward
Santiago, the failure to destroy the Colon,
the effectiveness of the blockades at Cien-
fuegos and Santiago and the loop of the
Brooklyn on the day Of the battle. The
report Of the naval board, which is now
in course of preparation, will sweep away
many Of the allegations which were the
basis of the investigation.
The Schley court unquestionably realizes
that much of the matter before it is en-
titled to little weight. but when it has
sifted out these things. it is believed. it
will find something left upon which ad-
verse findings will be based. Though
much Of the testimony regarding the sec
ond and third specifications, which con-
Germ the movements Of the flying squadron
off Cienfuegos and its progress toward
Santiago. must be disregarded as having
no bearing upon these points, one impor-
tant point to be considered is Admiral
Schley's failure to communicate with the
insurgents near Cienfuegos.
Deprived of Information.
After schley's arrival of that port it
was reported to him that certain lights
were seen on shore at night. and every
witness who was asked about these lights
testified to having seen them. 1t is clear
that Admiral schley did not know the
meaning Of the signals, and no one in
formed him.
The reason Admiral Schley has himself
assigned for the retrograde movement was
the short coal supply Of the squadron and
the difficulty Of coaIing, but statistics of
the amounts the ships had do not. In the
opinion Of close judges, reveal such a
state of affairs as should have alarmed
resourceful commander.
1t is believed in well informed circles
here that the court cannot fail to find that
| the reports made by Admiral Schley in
regard to coal were incorrect; that the
retrograde movement was not 1ustihable
in view of his orders to blockade Santiago,
and that he did disobey the departments
orders in continuing toward Key West
instead of carrying out at once the in
structions as contained in the telegram
of May 25.
Controversy With Hodgson.
The only other specification on which
the court is thought likely to find against
Admiral Schley is believed to be No. TO-
referring to his controversy with Lieu
tenant Commander Hodgson. The gist of
this affair, which has been much befogged
during the progress Of the case. Is that
Hodgson was interviewed in regard to a
colloquy said to have taken place between
Schley and Hodgson on board the Brook
lyn, and. the result Of the interview hav-
ing been published, Admiral Schley asked
Hodgson to write a letter denying that
such colloquy took place. Hodgson did so.
but accompanied his letter with another.
in which he said that his denial was in
tended to apply only to the accuracy Of
the words said to have been uttered dur
ing the colloQuy, the substance OF the pub
lished statement being correct. Admiral
Schley published the denial without the
letter Of explanation. During the three
years following, in spite Of Lieutenant
Commander Hodgson's efforts to induce
Admiral schley to publish the other letter.
or make statement as to it's contents, he
refused to do so. 1t Is believed the court
will hold that this was not far treatment
Of Hodgson by Admiral Schley.
/