The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-16
give the ship a sheer toward sher This. his
She diu, think. twice. he sVizca y
then resumed her course. and we did

also.
COLON SURRENDERED
1.-THE Commodore spoke of the advisa-
bility of signaling through the Oregon to-
the Texas to stay by the Yiscaya. when
She turned in. and insure her surrender,
but after moments thought he said:
Phillip will know enough to look out for
that. and then we proceeded While we
were engaged in the beam OF the Vizcaya.
the Colon had passed inside of the Wis
|scaya, firing. but gradually drawing away.
We were increasing our speed as rapidly
as the fires could be forced. ana after the
Viscaya had gone in we continued the
chase after the Colon
After we began to gain upon the Colon
the Commodore directed the Oregon to try
her guns at her. Then the Oregon and the
Brooklyn fired deliberately at the Colon.
After our fire she began to waver in to-
ward the shore. Her course was unsettled
and the Commodore said he thought she
had enough Of 1t and was looking for a
soft spot to lie upon, which proved to be
the case. She fired occasionally at us.
rather RAPIDLY at first. and then it be-
came weaker. She was close into shore
at that time. and at 1:15 hauled down
her flag. Captain Cook and Lieutenant
Wells were sent on board the Colon to re-
ceive the surrender"
When Mr.. Sears had concluded his de-
scription of the battle, Mr. Rayner ask
ed him if Commodore Schley had given
him a dispatch to be sent to the Navy
Department. making report of the bat
tie. The witness replied in the affirma-
tive. The Court decided that as the dis
patch had not reached the Department it
could rot appear.
NO DANGER OF COLLISION.
Mr.. Rayner then asked as to the dis
lance between the Brooklyn and the
Texas when the former made her turn.
The witness replied that he had only
given sufficient attention to see ithat
there was no danger of a collision be-
tween the two vessels. He was sure there
was wide gap of water-possibiy about
Geo yards.
In reply to a question Commander
Sears said he had been with Commodore
Schley in five engagements all told. He
was then asked as to the bearing of that
officer under fire. and replied: His bear
| ing. to me- was a model for anybody,
worthy of emulation at all times. I'm
der fire his faculties. if it was possible,
seemed to be clearer and more in posses
sion of them than at any other time.
WAS he in any state of excitement
mot the slightest"
.Was he cool and calm?'
absolutely.
"How about points OF danger: would he.
get away from them or did he expose
himself to them?''
'.He was always putting himself In ex-
posed positions. requested him many
times not to. expose himself. as 1t was
useless to do so.''
ROSS-EXANIINED.
Judge Advocate Lemly cross-examined
the witness, who said that beyond the
standing in of the American fleet and the
sending in of the Adu1a. no effort had
been made before Captain McCalla's ar-
rival to discover whether the Spanfards
We're in the harbor there.
Commander Stars said that Commodore
( Scfley had discussed the coal situation
freely with him. and that when the re-
| trograde movement was begun the Texas
| had only a little more than enough coal
| to carry her to the nearest coaling sta
| ton He had. he said, been averse to the.
| westward movement He had. at Com
| modore Schley's instance, made the sig.
| nal for the move westward.
The witness said that so far as he knew
| there were no general circular orders OF
| battle
Were there any orders for special con-
| tingencies?"
None to my knowledge.
| Asked about the range given for the
| firing of the American guns on May Slst,
| Mr.. Sears said he had given it at 7.G0G
yards. under direction of Commodore
| Schey.
I Asked II ne .naC any 4COlIVeFSdtloIl Will
| Commodore Schley concerning that range,
| he replied in the negative.
| Did you not state otherwise in the
ward-room of the Massachusetts," MIR
| Lenly asked.
q have no recollection of stating any
thing else replied the witness.
NO SUCH STATEMENT.
| "Now, refresh your memory. I ask if
you did not say in the ward-room of the
| mr. S,tr ri
courage him. 1t is all we have been able
! to do to work him up to this or words
| to that effect.
..No, I never said anything of the kind, =
replied the witness.
In reply to further questions the wit
! ness said that while no conclusion COULD
| be reported from the signal fires on shore
! on July 1st. that the Spanish fleet was
| preparing to escape, yet the situation
| was so tense that Commodore Schley felt
something unusual was going TO occur
The afternoon session of the court be-
| gan with the recall of Captain Francis
| A. Cook for the purpose of correcting the
testimony given by him yesterday. While
| he was on the stand Judge Advocate
Lemly asked him the following question::
what conversations, if any, did you
| have with Commodore Schley about the
retrograde movement. either before or
| after the signals were made and order
| given on May 9Th to return to Key West
! FELT RESPONSIBILITY.
"As near as I recollect the circum-
| stances there was a conversation after
! the message had been brought to me.
! Bound for Key West via Yucatan Chan
| nell did not understand the signal and
went to see the Commodore about it.
I asked him what the signal meant and
| he said that he must coal the ships
! That he must seek some place to coal
| them and that he was going toward Key
West until he could find an opportunity
| to coal from the collier, and. if he
j did not find that he must be
| near coal base to keep the ships
| coaled I made some remark concerning
| the weather conditions that [ thought
| they. would be more favorable later. He
| said: Until they are, and am able TO
coal from the collier. must keep Within
strike distance of the coal said that
| + understood that he felt the RESPONSE
bility as no one else could, and that it
was a serious question. He answered
! that he understood that fact. but he must
act in accordance with his Judgment
| whether right or wrong; that personal
of