The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-26

mole together with translation of those
dispatches made by Lieutenant Beall. of
the Harvard. I handed them personally TO
him in his cabin in the order OF their date.
He received them. read them and COM
mented in general way upon their pur-
port. spoke Of the difficulty he had had in
getting coal on board his ships while AT
cienfuegos and subsequently, 10 the date
OF which ! am speaking. May "a and said
II had been almost an impossibility 10 get
coal on board on account Of the weather.
In effect he counseled the Commodore
that small ships could be coaled a St
Nicholas mole but not large ships. He be
GOnaives channel
Was anything said at this time about
gong 10 Key West for cOalg was asked
AS TO COALING.
Returning to what 1 said with reference
to the difficulty which Commodore schey
stated to me he had in getting coal on
board of any OF the ships at Cienfuegos. he
said he was very anxious The coal sup
ply was getting short, the weather was
bad and it had been bad almost continu-
ously. 1t was a very serious problem as TO
how or whether he could possibly get coal
on board ships off Santiago. He said if he
found the weather did not improve and he
found IL impracticaole TO coal there he
could only see one resort. and that was he
would be compelled to return TO Key West
Having that question in view. he ap-
prehensive especially as 10 one ship, the
Texas. He did not even know. at that mo-
ment. whether she had on board sufficient
coal to enable her to return to Key West.
During my visit he gave an order to make
signal, a general signal, as | remember it.
not limited to the flying squadron alone, to
report whether the ships had sufficient coal
to reach Key West. The signal was made,
or, at least L assume II was made. AT all
events during my presence with CommO-
dOre SchlpV he received a ronOrI TO the Of
feet that all the ships, including the Texas,
had sufficient coal TO return TO Key West.
l think the commodore was very much re-
lieved when he received this information.
Shortly afterward, | should say within
few minutes. he directed signal TO be
made preparatory for the ships to return
to Key West
Did this conversation occur before or
after the dispatches which you took aboard
had been read by the commander-in-
chief?"
After"
In response to further questions Admiral
Cotton said that he had the original trans
lations of the cipher dispatches addressed
to the Harvard. The dispatch or May 20
was then read TO him. 1t was signed by
seGretdry dcga L0ng ana h indicates
that Spanish division is still at Santiago.
The department looks to you 10 ascertain
facts and that the enemy, if therein, does
not leave without decisive action. Cubans
familiar with Santiago say there are land
ing places five or six nautical miles west OF
probably will be found and not the Span
ish." .
1t also contained a suggestion relative
to coaling the ships from the Merrimac.
SCHLEY'S REPLY.
Admiral Schley's reply TO these dis
patches. dated May %. in which he said he
couldn't obey orders of the department,
was then read, and Mr.. Raynor pointed out
various changes in the language OF the
departments dispatches, as printed In the
official record He addressed the court
briefly concerning these changes.
Judge Advocate Lemly then asked: Aft
er you delivered the order. and prior to the
dispatch which he delivered to you to be
sent TO Kingston, what efforts did he make
to locate Cerveras fleet, to your knowl-
edge?'
None to my knowledge
'Did he, with his squadron, at that time
approach Santiago?"
He did not. l will qualify that to this
extent The vessels, of course, were not
at anchor; they were moving about and
there were directions for movement to-
ward the harbOr of Santiago.
referring to that phrase in the dispatch,
the department looks to you to ascertain
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8. COL. J.