The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-05
HANNA TELLS
HOW IT WAS.
Government Counsel Continues
His Argument Today.
Begun Yesterday Before Schley
Court of Inquiry.
SU MS UP EVIDENCE.
Still Finds Much to Criticise in
AdmiraI's Conduct
AS Well as His Manner of Relat-
ing His Story.

Washington Nov 5.-In the Schley
court of inquiry today Mr.. Hanna, gov
ernment counsel continued his discus
sion of the retrograde movement, saying
that but one explanation had been given
for it in Admiral Schley's dispatch,
namely, the inadequacy of the coal sup
ply There is he said, mo suggestion
of any other reason in this dispatch In
his testimony before this court Admiral
Schley gave four reasons for leaving his
station off Santiago, but no one of these
four reasons appears in his telegraphic
report made at the time
Mr.. Hanna then took up specification
hve OF the precept, relating to the cir
cumstances attending and the reasons
for the disobedience by Commodore
Schley of the orders of the department
contained by Commodore Schley of the
orders of the department contained in
its dispatch dated May 25 1898, and the
propr1ety of his conduct in the prem
1ses- In this connection, attention was
directed to the fact that the court was,
by letter of August l, 1901, instructed
that 1t is absolutely free to report if
such shall be found to be the dase that
Commodore Schley did not wilfully dis
obey orders, but that he was justified in
disobeying them. -
Mr. Hanna contended that while Com
modore Schley was acting under the or
derS contained in dispatch No. s, when
the retrograde movement began May 26,
that order was superseded by the dis
patches delivered on the Brooklyn May
q, by Captain Cotton, in command of
the Harvard, and in one of which it was
said that "al the departments infor-
nation indicated the Spanish division is
still at Santiago de Cuba" and to which
the order was added: 1.-The department
looks to you to ascertain the fact and if
the enemy therein does not leave with
out a decisive action
Mr.. Hanna took issue with Admiral
Schley that this was a suggestion and
not mandatory order. 80 far from
being suggestive, doubtful, or uncer-
tain, are the terms of this order, that
they approach the verge of reproof,"
said Mr.. Hanna. Their incisive dis
tinctness is notable, much so. that
I think few subordinate officers who
had turned their backs on the task to
which they had been assigned would
care to be arrested in such act by a
telegra phic order from a superior
couched in such terms.''
Mr.. Hanna quoted Admiral Schley's
dispatch of May 27, in which he ex-
pressed regret over not being able to
obey orders, saying that a it was writ
ten after the Cotton dispatch had been
received, it was an explicit confession
that the Cotton telegram was an order.
Commenting upon this dispatch, he de-
clared that it was 1.-The most remark
able one to be found in the annals of
the American navy"
He contended that the repairs to the
Merrimac could have been made as they
that the Texas were not in severe
! straits for fuel AS for the Vixen. she
was not fighting ship and could have
been sent for coal The Brooklyn, he
said, was abundantly supplied. He con-
tended also that on that date, May 81,
the condition of the seas was not such
as to prevent coaling. He asserted that
the weather was rough only on May 26
and that therefore Comm odore Schley
assertion that the weather had been
boisterous and the rough ever since
leaving Key West, was unjustified by
the facts.
referring" he said. 'to the indis-
putable evidence of the squadron logs,
it appears that the Brooklyn could have
remained on blockade about 80 days,
the Massachusetts about "a days. the
Iowa 18 days, the Texas 46 days and the
Marblehead six days, retaining still
coal enough to reach Gonaives, Haiti,
point, where by Admiral Schley's test-
mony. he could have coaled the smaller
vessels in the ports and the larger ones
off the coast" The speaker also con-
troverted the statement made in his
dispatch to the department to the effect
that is not possible to cruise to lee
ward of Cape Cruz in summer to south
west Winds" quoting several witnesses
to show that the wind was not from the
southwest