The Washington times., 1901-09-26

U4ehedu, vixen and Brooklyn from col
her owing to very rough seas and
bulsterous weather. since leaving Key
west brooklyn is only one in squad
ron having more than sufficient coal
10 reaeh Key West. Impossible to re-
main OFF Santiago in present state of
coal account of the squadron Not
possible to coal to leeward of Cape
winds
Harvard Just reports to me she has
only coal enough to reach Jamaica,
and sl- will proceed to Port Royal:
also reports only small vessels could
coal at Gonaives or Mole, Haiti Min
neapolis has only coal enough to reach
Key West, and same of Yale, which
will tow Merrimac 1t is to be re-
gretted that the department order
sannot san t., be g1neyed earnestly as y we
forced to return to Key West via Yu-
catan Passage for coal. Can ascer-
tain nothing certain concerning enemy:
Was Obliged to send Eagle to Port
Antonio, Jamaica. yesterday. as she
had only twenty-seven tons of coal on
board. VIII leave St. Paul here. VIII
require 80" tons of coal cIsi at Key we West
The following is as the Navy Depart
ment translated it from the cipher teie-
gram, as II appeared in the printed Voi-
ume of war correspondence entitled Ap-
peEdix to the Report of the Chief OF the
Bureau of Navigation. RsS:
.,Kingston. May 2S. 1858.
Secretary of the Navy, Washington
The receipt of the telegram OF May
&c is acknowledged. Delivered by Har-
ward off Santiago de Cuba Merrimac
engines disabled. is heavy. am Obliged
to have towed to Key West. Have
been unable absolutely to coal the
Texas. Marbiehead, Vixen. Brooklyn
from collier, all owing to very rough
sea. Bad weather since leaving Key
West. The Brooklyn alone has more
than sufficient coal to proceed to Key
West; cannot remain off Santiago
present state squadron coal account.
Impossible to coal leeward Cape Cruz
IN the summer. all owing to south
westerly winds. Harvard reports coal
sufhcient for Jamaica, leaves today
for Kingston, reports only small yes
sells could coal at Gonaives or Mole
Minneapolis only coaled for Key
West. also Yale. which tows Merri-
mac.
Much to he regretted, cannot obey
orders of department. Have striyen
earnestly: forced to proceed for coal
TO Key West by way of Yucatan pas
sage. Cannot ascertain anything, re-
specting enemy positive. Obliged to
send Eagle-admitting no delay-to
Port Antonio. Jamaica. had only
St Paul OFF Santiago de Cuba. Win
require 10000 tons of coal at Key
West. Very difficult to tow collier
to get cable to hold. SCHLEY."
The principal verbal differences between
the two dispatches as brought out by the
reading Nare as follows:
Drawing the Comparisons.
The original. as found in the Brooklyn $
press copy book. says: Received despatch
of May 26 by Harvard on Santiago" and
the translation says: The receipt of
livered by Harvard off Santiago .
Schley's statement that the Merrimac was
helpless was translated is heavy
Schley says in the original that he was
unable to coal the Texas from collier on
account of very rough seas and holster
Gus weather. the last two words were
translated bad weather" Schley wrote:
Not possible to coal to leeward off Cape
winds, and the translation read. I'm
possible to coal leeward In the summer
al owing to southwesterly Winds The
sentence that the Harvard would return
to Port Royal for coal is not in the trans
Iation.
SchIey wrote: ut Is to be regretted
that the DEPARTMENTS orders cannot be
obeyed, earnestly as we have all striven
Much to be regretted cannot obey orders
OF department. Have striven earnestly
Schley wrote: Can ascertain nothing
concerning enemy" and the translation
specting enemy positive" Schley wrote:
VIII require $500 tons of coal at Key
West" The translation reads. "wEl re-
quire 10000 tons of coal at Key " est. y
with reference to sending the Eagle to
Port Antonio. Admitted no delay" The
original also does not contain the con-
eluding sentence of, the translation, Very
difficult to tow collier to get cable to
hold" oi
Mr. Rayner maintained that the Ian
guage of the two copies of this same
despatch-one in the original English
and the, other the Navy Department.
had been. put into cipher and te!e-
Sraphed to Washingtor-was not the
same. He read to the Court the letter o;
the Navy Department to Admiral Schiey' s
couns el refusing to modify the. expression
'sdisobedience of orders" In the precept
with reference to Admiral Schley's con
duct, and stating that the correspond
ence would. however, be forwarded to the
court for its information.
Mr.. Rayner claimed that the language
of the communication as II appeared In
the appendix was not the same as it was
in the original. and did not show the
same purpose oDf Admiral ScEley's part
or admit OF the. same construction. He
would not think OF saying. he asserted
that there had been any change made In
printed in the appendix. This was a seri-
Gus question. Commodore Schley. he said
had dictated despatch which was put
in cipher before telegraphy and then put
liilo ny the NAVY Department
II was not the same despatch
MIR. Hanna said he had no objection to
letting the despatch come in. but he want
Cd to protest against any arraignment OF
the Navy Department for any cipher er-
rors that might have crept in the
dispatches.
Agreed to the Changes.
"All l ask is to let the original de-
spatch be read and changed as we &c
along" said Mr.. Rayner.
This was agreed to. and the changes
noted above were brought to the notice
of the court.
Admiral Cotton, resuming his testimony
told in answer to the judge advocate OF
a conversation with Admiral Schley or
board the Brooklyn on May q. in regard
to communication with the insurgents In
Santiago. Prior to the return of the
Harvard to Mole ST. Nicholas on the
morning OF the 9th of May from Santi-
ago." he said. Lieutenant Beaie, Of the
Harvard volunteered his services to land
near Santiago to ascertain whether any
Spanish vessels were in the harbOr: If so
how many, their character and their loca
ton. The proposition appealed to me as
entirely feasible and meritorious on Lieu
tenant BeaIe's part He urged me very
strongly to inform the senior officer of
Santiago of his proposal. During the
time of my visit to Commodore Schley or
the Brooklyn l informed him that Lieu
tenant Beaie had volunteered his serv-
ices to go on shore and gather such In
formation as he could relative to Spanish
vessels in Santiago If any We're there
Lieutenant Beale placed himself in COM
munication with prominent insurgents al
Kingston, Jamaica, and received from
them letters to prominent insurgents In
and near Santiago, and was well equipped
to accomplish the object he had in view
in volunteering. l reported these facts
to Commodore Schley- 1 cannot recall his
remarks, but at all events Lieutenant
Rpalp did shore -
Q.-What efforts did Commodore Schley
make to take on coal from the time you
delivered the dispatches to him until you
got your answer to them?
A.-None at all.
Q.-What effort did he make 20 locate
Cervera's fleet to your knowledge?
A.-None: to my knowledge