The age-herald., 1901-09-26

had no difficulty in going aboard the Brooklyn from his boat He had worn his sword.
 What conversation took place between yourself and Admiral Schley?' asked Captain Lemley.
 Ut will be impossible for me to state the entire conversation, the witness re- piled. q was on board, generally speak ing, from about half past ten to about noon. The conversation naturally covered very wild range, the most important part of which was, of course, relative to the dispatches I had delivered"
 What was said about the dispatches?'
 Delivered Original Cipher.
 q delivered to Commodore Schley the original cipher in which the dispatches had been received by me at St. Nicholas Mole, together with translation of these dispatches made by Lieutenant Bealle of the Harvard 1 handed them personally to him in his cabin in the order of their date. He received them. read them and commented in a general way upon their purport; spoke of the difficulty he had had in getting coal on board his ships while at Cienfuegos and subsequently, to the date of which am speaking, May 27. and said 1t had been an almost impossi- bility to get coal aboard on account of the weather. He questioned me relative to the practicability of coaling ships at St. Nicholas Mole and Gonivas channel. As to St. Nicholas Mole, I said: There is no question but what the small ships can coal there As to Gonivas channel l know of no reason why you should not be able to coal there
 About CoaIing.
 "The Comm odore made some remarks upon my statements, the language of which I do not recall, but he asked me :: al a a h. olas Mole? I said: You can't coal your big ships there. I had special reference to my reply to the battleships and pro- tected cruisers of the Brooklyn and New York class. I said, thinking of the fact that my own ship had been there and was of some 12,OO0 tons displacement and nearly 600 feet in length: Possibly under favorable conditions you might be able to coal the large ships there one at a time But the area of deep water for the anchorage of large ships Is so little there, 1t was not practicable to coal at the very utmost more than one large ship at a time, and in case the weather be- came bad she would immediately have to go to sea. l was anxious while was there with the Harvard on account of her size and I would have left at once in case bad weather had come on. As l remem- Der, I recollect no qualifications as to Gonivas channel.
 Was anything said at this time about going to Key West for coal?"
 Returning to what I said, as to the difficulty which Commodore Schley would have in getting coal aboard any ship at Cienfuegos, he said he was very anxious. The coal supply was getting short. the weather was bad and 1t was bad almost continuously.
 Serious Problem.
 Tt was a very serious problem. he said, as to whether he could possibly get coal on board his ships off Cienfuegos He said if he found the weather did not inn prove and he found it impracticable to coaa there he could see but one resort. and that was we would be compelled to return to Key West in order to supply his ships with coal. Having that question in view he was apprehensive, especially as to one ship. the Texas. He did not even know at that moment whether she had on board sufficient coal to enable her to return to Key West.
 During my visit he gave an order to make signal, general signal, as I re- member 1t, not limited to the flying squadron alone, to report whether the ships had sufficient coal to reach Key West. The signal was made, or at least I assume 1t was made. At all events during my presence with Com mmodore Schley he received report to the effect that all the ships, including the Texas, had Surnc1ent coal to return to Key West.
 Was Relieved.
 q think the commodore was very much relieved when he received this in formation. Shortly afterward should say within few minutes he directed a signal to be made preparatory for he ships to return to Key West. The order was given in a general way. I cannot give the words of the order, but what I have stated was their purport
 While I was still there he received a report to the effect that signals were read Before I leIr the ship he ordered signals to be made for ships to form preparatory for steaming to Key West To go back a bit, I had informed Com modore Schley that 1t was utterly i'm possible for the Harvard to get any where except to Kingston. l had not enough coal to get to Key West and he verbally authorized me to proceed at once to Kingston to receive such amount of coal as I could get there, sufficient to enable me to return to the nearest United States port.
 q left the Brooklyn about noon, pos sibly a few minutes before. Immediately after my departure the Brooklyn com menced steaming ahead and l noticed that many ships at the moment under Commodore Scniey's command were in motion, presumably preparing to taking their stations in steaning order to re- turn to Key West. As soon as l return ed to my own ship after my boat was hoisted I steered to the southwest for Kingston"
 Did you state in specific terms that you agreed with Commodore Schley as to the difficulty in coaling?"
 "The question was not discussed and l expressed no opinion"
 Did this conversation occur before or after the dispatches which you took aboard had been read by the commander in-chief?"
 After"
 The Dispatches.
 In response to further questions, Ad- miral Cotton said that he had the orig inal translations of the cipher dispatches addressed to the Harvard. The dispatch of May 25 was then read to him as fol- lows:
 Washington. May 25, 1s9s Harvard. St. Nicholas Mole, Hayti:
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