The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-18

SOiIlc VI The DdSSeUSGTS. II was IIdiS
ed that when came out, the Off
GERS should go aboard and question
the passengers and get information
from them. She did not come out.
That confirmed him still more that they
were there. Then the Eagle carne
down in the evening and reported :liar
the Spanish squadron was not in Ciel-
fuegos.
Speaking of the coal supply Of ire
vessels Of the flying squadron while at
Cienfuegos. Captain Cook said hat his
only anxiety was concerning the Texas,
whose supply was light. 1t had been
found difficult to coa that ship on ac-
u of it's Sponsors. He said in his
connection thai Commodore Schley had
always been persistent in keeping me
ships as full of coal as possible.
Captain Cook said he recalled the ar
rival of the dispatch boat Hawk on
May oath with dispatches. He was
told that the Information was TO the
effect hat the Spanish fleet was IN
Santiago. but" he said, II was not
especially impressed with that fact
is I had heard it before" He was,
however. told that this information was
more positive than any which had been
brought. The commodore, he said, had
told him hat the Hawk had brought
orders to the effect hi the squadron
should proceed to Santiago if he (the
'COIilIilOuOEt) was SdllSlEu lndI TIC
Spaniards were not at Cienfuegos, but
he said. Commodore Schley had said:
Il am not satisfied that they are not
here. L still believe they are here"
There was then, he said, considerable
talk on the part of the commodore con-
corning the coal supply, he feeling that
If the then present expenditure was
continued, il o not last long. He
was still especially concerned about the
Texas. and a sal to him Captain
Cook that I'VE must keep the ships in
fighting trim" They had consulted
charts and talked over the case, looking
for a place fit for cOaling.. Finally, he
said. they had hit upon Gonaives bay
and had decided to lay q course for
that point. The idea" he said. "was
that we should proceed in the direction
of Santiago n that if we found the
sea such that We could coal we would
Immediately institute the blockade, put
If not practicable to do hat we would
proceed to Gonaives bay, and cpal
there"
Captain Cook related the particulars
of the meeting with the scout ships off
Santiago and told of Captains Cotton
and Stgsbee coming OIL board. Speak
ing OF Captain S~igsbee's visit, he told
of his bringing the pilot Nunez aboard.
NuneZ said he had seen nothing of the
Spanish fleet.
Inc NIIueSS Inen OeIall6O the retro
grade movement of the flying squadron
toward Key West. He said his first in
formation that such a movement was
TO be undertaken was when he received
orders to move. He had, he said. IN
formed Commodore Schley on the even
ing of the 9th hat he thought the sea
a become calm enough to coal ard
had found that the commodore had also
reached the same conclusion.
BLOCKADE OF SANTIAGO.
Replying to questions concerning the
blockade Of Santiago, Captain Cook
said that Commodore Schley's constant
idea was that the vessels should be kept
we'll supplied with coal and KEEP NOV
ing constantly as his theory was that
the Sapnish fleet would come out of the
harDor.
Why was the circular blockade not
adopted?" Mr.. Hanna asked.
There are many forms of blockade,
and L have nothing but praise for the
circular blockade" replied the witness,
but the idea was to get the Spaniards
to come out and to have our ships NOV
ing and ready for action"
VIVA were your orders of battle
from May 18th to June 1st?'
W did not have any. The fleet was
always in condition for action"
DO o call that a battle order?'
II - pOSSlDle 10 nave an OrOer Tor
battle if you know just what conditions
o are going to meet. The idea with
us was to be able to fight the Spanish
fleet whenever We should meet it. /
think that was understood by all. !
certainly so understood It,"
IF the fleet had come out of the har-
Dor previous to June 1st what would
you have done?"
I'VE would have obeyed the orders of
the commanding officer"
Were the fighting ships always in
order for battle?"
II always supposed try were. the
Brooklyn was always in excellent or
der"
THE BATTLE OF JULY 3RD.
General interest was manifested
throughout the court room when Mr..
Hanna began his inquiries about the
battle of July 3rd. Captain Cook said
he was in his cabin when the Spanish
fleet was sighted and went Immediately
or deck"
Had you had any intimation on the
night before that the fleet was coming
out?'
mo. I turned in the right before
about minight, feeling rather the old
way, all hope of their coming out hav
ing been given up
when You came on deck where were
the Spanish vessels?" What were they
doing?"
THE BROOKLYN'S FAMOUS LOOP
when 1 first arrived on the fore
castle there were two in sight. The
third one was just outside the entrance
and the fourth appeared Immediately
afterward."
(Which way did they head?"
w were to the westward. The en-
trance to us was about northeast by
north. The fleet came out south and
turned as they left the entrance to -four
points southwest so that they turned in
our direction. When I first got on deck
the helm had been s~tarboarded, head.
ing a little to the northward. When ]
saw the fleet they were heading south
west. and seemed to be coming straight
for the interval between the Texas and
the Brooklyn. / went in the coming
tower and directed the helmsman. ]
told him what 1 wanted to do was to
keep straight for the fleet. They wav-
cred a little. Sometimes they turned
one way and then another. We shifted
helm nce or twice, but very little in
| dao1 and Hno1Ir when Wa Uara orettiDc