Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-11-06

Rear Admiral Schley took the stand on
the thirtieth day of the inquiry and told
the story of the beginning of the Santiago
campaign in a plain, simple, straightfor-
ward manner He refrained from at
tempting to question the yeracity of any
officer who has testified against him,
crediting their Measurements to a failure
of recollection.
Before fatty contradicting Captain
Sigsbee regarding the information con-
corning the presence of the Spaniards in
Santiago Admiral Schley said that Cap
tain Sigsbee was not capable of uttering
q falsehood, but that his recollection was
at fault and not his yeracity. Captain
Sigsbee," said the rear admiral, would
not make misstatement for his commits
sior.'
Rear Admiral Schley took up the speci-
Ecations of the precept one by one, told
of the formation of the flying squadron,
and continued down to the beginning of
the retrograde movement, when the court
adjourned.
The rear admiral disclaimed that he
was guilty of disobedience of orders, as
the order whie reached him did not say
the Spanish feet was in Santiago, but
directed Schley to find out il it was there,
and not to permit it to leave without a
decisive action"
THAT part of the order was fully exc
cuted," remarked Admiral Schley, and
there was peal of laughter on the part
of the spectators.
Schley then told of the conference he
had with Rear Admiral Sampson on
board the New York at Key West, dur
ing which he had assured Sampson of
his loyalty. C4ptain Chadwick, ON this
occasion, remarked that any one who
knew Commodore Schley was sure of his
loyalty to the commander-in-chief.
During this conference it was developed
that both Sampson and Schley agreed the
objective point of Ceryera's fleet was
either Havana or Cienfuegos, as the lat
ter port was connected with Havana by
rail. Neither had any idea that the Span
iards would go to Santiago, which is in
the end of the island, the lines of COM
munication being absolutely controlled by
the insurgents.
Rear Admiral Schley said that the de-
day at Cienfuegos was due to the fact
that Captain McCalIa had not communi-
Gated the code of signals arranged with
the insurgents, and that Lieut.. Souther-
land had not communicated information
which he had been directed TO give.
Speaking of the difficulty of coaling in
the open sea, the admiral said the Merri-
mac had several holes punched n its eff
forts to coal. He used every endeavor
to coal, but the problem presented to him
In this connection was one that had vexed
the navies of the world for fifty years.
He asserted that whenever it was posi-
BILE to coal the ships he had done so, but
there were times when he would not as
sumo the responsibility, as the vessels
of his squadron would have been placed
In jeopardy in attempting to coal in the
open sea.
According to Rear Admiral Schley's
testimony the flying squadron left Glen
fuegos within four hours after he was
certain the Spanish squadron WIS not in
that harbor. He did not mask lis move
ments. as it would have been to the liking
of his men and himself to meet the Span
fish squadron.
Great stress has been laid upon the fact
that Rear Admiral Schley did not mask
his movements at night, but Rear Ad-
miral Schley said experience had taught
him that the signals of a ship could not
be seen more than four miles during the
day, and that the ardois lights could not
be seen at a greater distance than six
and half miles at night.
When the flying squadron left Cienfue-
Cos they were fourteen miles from the
shore and it was impossible for the Span
iards to be advised of the movements of
the Americans.
Rear Admiral Schley described the for
nation of the squadron on its way to
Santiago and referred to the Importance
of keeping Lis squadron formation intact
He said it would have been unwise and
unmilitary to leave behind the auxiliary
vessels and the collier which caused TIE
delay of his movement, and said the
gmaller craft should not have been aban-
doned except as last and strict mill
tary necessity. which he did not consider
existed.
In explaining why be did not place con-
fdence in the information sent by the
Navy Department relative to the where
abouts of the Spanish feet. Rear Admiral
Schley said he believed this was a ruse,
inasmuch as it had come by way Of Ha-
vana. He had not been informed that
yana. as he should have been. He be-
ueved the dispatch from the department,
sayins its evidences were that the Span
iards were in Santiago, was sent by the
Spanish officials for the express purpose
of drawing the flying squadron away from
Cienfuegos. so as to permit Ceryera TO
get into that harbor and communicate
with Havana.
Explains the Retrograde Movement.
In explanation of the retrograde move
ment Admiral Schley said this was deter
mined upon after he had considered all
the circumstances. He ha / taken the coal
supply G. the squadron into account and
had calculated on the amount of fuel re-
ouired under the most favorable and I'M
favorable circumstances The steaming
power Of his feet was only equal to that
of the weakest ship. Seven of the ten
vessels were short of coal. In addition to
this be had taken into consideration that
1t might be necessary TO chase the enemy,
and he could not assume that the Span
!ards would chase toward our base of sup
plies. but toward their own Therefore
any calculation relating TO the coal sup
ply would have to assume conditions less
favorable to the American and most IA
vorable to the Spaniards.
The MeTrimac's machinery broke down.
ana the collier signaled it would require
two or three hours 60 repair il. but as
matter Of fact it took exactly twenty
fcur hours.
Rear Admiral Schley said II would be