New-York tribune., 1901-11-06


signals. What earthly reason Captain Chao"ich
had for not communicating the signals 10 Schiey'
Captain Parker said, beyond his comprehen-
sion. So far seen. Chadwick was the only per-
son to whom McCalla had communicated his code
Hence, If Chadwick had prepared the McCalia mem
orandum it could well be inferred he had In
formation that else had. that he would
nave regarded the memorandum in different
light from what others would who knew less. Il
contend he said, that up this time far
the blockade is concerned. so far his conduct
there IS concerned. there is absolutely nothing
shown by the testimony in this from, which
the slightest suspicion of fault can be placed upon
Commodore Schley."
Replying the charge that Commodore Schley
dlo not obey orders in failing prevent work
upon new fortiicatons at Cienfuegos. Captain
i,afker said that Captain McCalla testified that
When he got back there the 24th they in
the same condition when he departed the
18th Not a particle of evidence he said. had been
introduced to show that any work being done
on the fortifcations. The court will agree with
me. think, in my statement said the Captain
that commander in chief is gifted with some
olscretion: that he is entitled to exercise it, and
II Is his duty to exercise it,
THE DEAR SCHLEY' LETTER.
Inc speaker then read the Dear schley' letter.
ana commented on 1t at some length He contended
mat both this dispatch and dispatch No had been
sent at a later date than had been suggested by
the naval officials Sampson had he said instructed
ochiey TO remain at Cienfuegos, notwithstanding
the departments advice to proceed to Santiago and
III NO discretion had plainly been given Schley
suppose, he said, he had gone off and it had
been found that the Spaniards were there he would
nave been condemned. and Justly and in case of a
court martial learned friends here would have
! numbered against him. 1 say that no criticism is
deserved for the Commodores conduct at Glen
fuegos-" He contended that the Ardois lights aft
Cienfuegos were the best evidence that the feet
was still there and that when Schey left the place
nothing could have been known until next morning
God fha S~.--
ade. and Captain Parker contended that Schley had
acted wisely, showing that the discretion allowed
TO him was well placed. AS for himself he cared
nothing for the gossip of the wardrooms or the talk
OF the young officers Their talk pales into in
significance. he said. beside the achievements of
Admiral Schley, whose name will continue to shine
brighter and brighter every day"
Taking up the question of the progress of the
Flying Squadron from CIenfuegos to Santiago Can
tain Parker said that If the court would take the
trouble to look at the logs of the various ships the
members would that there IS nothing in the
charge of delay. Il prefer take what the officers
wrote at the time rather than what they may say
now he said Regarding the state the weather
at that time Captain Parker said:
The court knows that weather is of no conse-
quenSe except that 1t produces a sea is the sea
gentle zephyr Blowing across MotheP q' Ocean @ as
may Be sea rolling that wi make X ana If ye1 ehers
Ior vessels TO come within quarter of mile OF
each other.
Cienfuegos to Santiago the speed Of the slowest
vessel must be that the speed of the SQUADRON
1t would not have been the common sense idea OF
the situation he said. to have abandoned the Eagle
and the collier and make all speed for Santiago.
CoMMENDs SCHLEY's JUDGMENT
captain Parker also commended Commodore
Schley's conduct OF the cruise Santiago. He had
he said. acted according the dictates Of his best
5udgment-a Judgment which was better than that
OF less experienced officers, an experience which
hao been gained In command under circumstances
OF every nature. in the Arctic, around both capes
on every sea and under every sun He was" Cap
tain Parker continued ''at least as likely to be as
correct as those young officers who for the first
time IN their lives given command OF small
boat"
Taking the feet TO the southwark from Santiago
May 26 Captain Parker spoke Of the meeting
with the scout boats. and said that the condemna-
ton OF the Commodore for not communicating with
Captains Jewell and Wise was puerile ''An that
Wise had to do he said. was TO signal that he
had important Information and he would have been
asked to come on board II is the business the
clear duty. OF any subordinate officer to make
known 10 superior any informa ton he may have"
In the absence OF information from the captains
OF the Yale and the Minneapolis. Captain Parker
held that Admiral Sehley had a right to suppose
that Captain sigsbee had given all the nforma-
ton to be had from the scouts. Speaking Of the
Information conveyed by Captain Sigsbee Captain
Parker said that officer was ''curiously blind-not
purposely biind-but curiousy So He had only
but when hen she & Vas there and in plain sight on May
harbor scouting, he had failed to see her This is
to me one of the mysteries OF the campaign"
Admiral Schley objected to the date of the 25th,
but CAPTAIN Parker maintained that he cor
rect, and proved it by the Colons log.
RETROGRADE MOVEMENT PRAISED.
Continuing. he said that with the Information
given to him Commodore Schley had acted wisely
in turning back Key West. Whether he acted
wisely and his judgment sound is for you gen
tlemen of the court to say-not with the informa-
ton that has come since, but with the light that
the Commodore had at the time
Going back to the cruise from Cienfuegos. Cap
tain Parker referred TO the sending away of the
Eagle. He said that Commodore Schley had not
sent that vessel away from choice but because OF
his great need for AUXILIARY M cruisers Captain PARK
received by the Harvard at Mole st. Nicholas on
he read from the dispatch. That dispatch does
modore Schley and also the commanding officer off
evidently did not contemplate that Commodore
Schley had arrived at Santiago and yet we have
Quoting from the dispatch Captain Parker read:
The departments information indicates that the
Spanish division is SIN At s. saptiago rs there ere
depaTtment had chosen to say that that the Spanish ha
another thing. but it did not say that There were
still doubts apparent in the mind of the de-
partment on that subject.
Referring at this point the testimony OF Cap |
Sigsbee. Captain Parker said it was not neces-
sary :mpeach anybody's veracity, but slippery
thing to go by he continued .and the memory of
better than that of sigsbee I think the court can
be sure that what Captain sigsbee did say to Com
modore Schley, when he came aboard the Brooklyn,
was The Dons not there"
Again quoting from, The o dispatch CAPTAIN Parker
facts" Didn't the Commodore ascertain facts?
And that the enemy therein does not leave with
out decisive action" he continued, reading. We'll