The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-29
THE BLOCKADE or
SAN NT|AGO CLOSE
McCa||a's Testimony on This
Point Clear.
POSITIONS OF THE SHIPS
The Shore Line at Night Kept in
Full View
FLEET NEVER WITHDREW ANY DISTANCE
Mr.. Hanna Expresses Regret For Having Re-
terred TO Schley as The Accused Lieu
tenants southerIand ard
Barnes T,s fy,
Barnes !,s ify.
(By the Associated Press.)


Washington, Sept. 2S.-In the Schley
court OF inquiry today Captain McCalla, !
of the Marblehead, concluded his testi- |
mony which was begun yesterday, and the
court heard the testimony Of Lieutenant
Commander w. H. II. Switzerland, who
commanded the Eagle during the Spanish
War and also that of Lieutenant Cassius
B. Barnes. Mr.. Stayton did not press his
request TO be allowed to appear as coun-
sci for Admiral Sampson as ne had an
nounced that he would do. He wrote
second letter to the court renewing his
application and recounting the times that
the Adroiral's name had been brought
into the case. He left the city later in
the day. requesting the court to hold up
the matter for the present
On the opening OF court Mr.. Hanna eX
pressed his regret that he should have
used the term accused" in referring to
Admiral Schley.
When Captain McCalla took the witness
stand Mr.. Hanna asked him:
Were any ships assigned to the duty
Of engaging the batteries on the morning
of May 31st, 1898, or during that day
or to the duty of enfilading the batter
ies?''
The reply was: None that know
Of" M
Mr.. Hf4nna then asked:
/"Were there any shoals or other OBJ
stacles of any kind to prevent the battle
ships frcm approaching the mouth of the
harbor eff Santiago sufficiently. close to
have been within easy range of the
Colon?"
Captain Parker objected to the question,
but the court refused to sustain the OBJ
lection and the question was repeated.
Captain McCalla replied; None that
know Of The only shoal knew of was
the shoal on the west side of the chan
lel opposite tie MORO"
"nid 20 !" tlcaki.s go within range
Of tho Colon?"
mot from my observation"
'Wore you so situated as to observe
he fa!. cs shots iro.l t-e feet?"
81 was"
where did they fall?'
THE SHOTS FELL SHORT.
Il think saw every shot fired. They
all fell short that | saw. One very nearly
reached the Colon
The witness described a conference of
commanding officers on the Brooklyn on
May 29th The commanding officers
were ordered on board the Brooklyn on
May 29th. 1t was with regard to the
work of blockade. l can only remember
one specific thing which took place at
the close and that was that Captain
Evans asked Commodore Schley if the
Spanish ships came out if he was going
in for them He said Certainly and
then arranged for a subdivision of fire
from the ships under his command on the
Spanish ships should they come out
Mr.. Hanna: prior to that conference
on May 29th had you at any time received
definite instructions respecting the order
of battle or the mode of procedure which
the fleet should follow in case the Span
ism vessels should suddenly appear?"
81 do not remember"
''Did you have any further conversa-
tion with Commodore Schley?''
Il had a conversation with him in his
cabin after the battle of Santiago, about
July 9TH, in Guantanamo Bay. | went on
board making an official call to pay my
respects, and during the visit Commodore
Sehley read to me what | understood to
be a part of his official report of the bat
tie. After he had finished | said: Com
modore you remember that after the bat
tie of Lake Erie there was an unfortunate
controversy and | hope that there will
be none after the battle of Santiago be-
cause there was glory enough for every
body.
WATCHING THE HARBOR.
Relating the particulars of the block
ade of Santiago before June 1st. Captain
McCalla said the Marblehead and the
Vixen had at night occupied positions in
side the large ships about two miles
from the shore line and that that line
was easily discernibe.
Referring to the fact that he had in
formed Captain Chadwick, Admiral
SIMPSONS chief of staff, of the code Of
signals arranged for communicating with
the insurgent Cubans he said that he
did not in any way communicate with
the commander-in chief.
Mr. Ravner then asked According
to the regular custom and regulations
observed in cases of that sort, was it
not your purpose that this communica
tioE should go to the commander-in-cf chief
through his chief of staT?"
Certainly was the reply.
The witness said further that he
thought it had been common knowledge
at Key West after his arrival there on
May 18th that the Cuban insurgents were
on the coast near Cienfuegos, but that no
information was given concerning the Sc