The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-16
HIGH PRAISE FOR SCHLEY
Continued From Eirst PAGE.

with varying distances. 1t is my impress
sion we held a very straight course. The
navigator was trying to maintain this
course to keep our guns to bear to the
best range. After about ten to twenty
minutes we were very hotly engaged with
these three vessels. The OREGON was
aStern of us and the Texas Eastern of
her. The Vzeaya began to blaze up,
flames would rise and subside and she
turned in toward shore. Shortly previous
to this, she had made what appeared to
us, change in her helm, so as to bring
her out toward the Brooklyn 1t was
taken by us to mean an attempt to ram
us. The Brooklyn's helm was handled to
give the ship a sheer toward, her. This
she did I think twice. The Vizcaya then
resumed her course and we did also. The
commodore spoke of the advisabiIlty of
signalling through the Oregon to the
Texas to stay by the Vizcaya when she
turned and insured her surrender. but
after q moments thought he said:
Philip viii know enough to look out for
that and then we proceeded, When we
were engaged on the beam OF the Viz
caya, the Colon had passed inside of the
Vizcaya, firing but gradually drawing
away. We were increasing our speed as
rapidly as the fires could be forced and
after the Vizcaya had gone in, we con-
tiEued the chase after the Colon. The
forcing of the fires told and we began
to overhaul her or else she began TO
slacken her speed. l estimated the
distance to the Colon to be fully $4,000
yards 1t was beyond the extreme range
of the stadimeter
after we began to
GAIN ON THE COLON
the commodore directed the Oregon to
try her guns at her. Then the Oregon
and Brooklyn fired deliberately at the
Colon. After our fire she began to waiver
in toward the shore. Her course was I'M
settled and the commodore said he
thought she had enough of it and was
looking for a soft spot to lie upon. which
proved to be the case. She fired OCCASION
ally at us, rather rapidly at first and
then it became weaker. She was close
into shore at that time and at 1:15 hauled
down her flag. Capt. Cook and Lieut.
Wells were sent on board the Colon to
receive the surrender
When, Mr.. Sears had concluded his
description Of the battle Mr.. Rayner
asked him if Commodore Schley had
given him dispatch to be sent to the
navy department, making report of the
battle. Witness replied in the affirmative
Admiral Dewey then asked if this dis
patch had been sent and was informed
by Mr.. Rayner that it had not been for
warded to the department. although it
had been taken to the cable office The
court decided that as the dispatch had
not reached the department it could not
appear.
Suppose it was not Commodore
Schley's fault that the dispatch was not
forwarded" asked Mr. Rayner
To this inquiry Admiral Dewey re-
sponded: You can't ask questions of
the court. We are not in the witness
box. Commodore Schleys report is in
evidence and that is sufficient.
Mr.. Rayner then passed to other
points of the inquiry, asking as to the
distance between the Brooklyn and the
Texas, when the former made her turn.
Witness replied that he had only given
sufficient attention to see that there was
no danger of a collision between the TWO
vessels and did not feel able to give
exact figures. He was sure there was
a wide gap of water, possibly about 600
yards.
DIFFERS WITH POTTS.
Mr. Rayner questioned witness again
concerning his association with Llels-
tenant Commander Potts on the Massa-
chusetts and asked if he had heard the
commodore say, on the occasion of the
Colon reconnaissance, anything in the
presence of Mr. Potts concerning the
COIISEJlCuOQSllSSS Oh the Oh the
officers as they stood on the ship. The
witness replied in the negative
Was the commodore behind the CON
ming tower on that occason?''
He was both behind and in front oc ii;
he was moving about"
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 bearing to me was model for
anybody, worthy of emulation at all
times, Under fire his faculties, if it was
possible, seemed to be clearer and more
in his possession than at any other time"
Was he in any state of excitement?'
Not the slightest" lI5
WAS he cool and caln?" 4
Absolutely :GS
How about points of danger. would he
get away from them or did he expose
himself to them?"
He was always pu.ung himself
IN EXPOSED POSITIONS.
I requested him many times not to ex-
pose himself as it was useless to do
so.''
Judge Advocate Lemly conducted the
cross examination of the witness, who
said in response to the questions that
he had reached. the understanding that
Cienfuegos was a Spanish stronghold
early in the war. He also said that
Commodore Schley had discussed the
coal situation freely with him and that
when the retrograde movement was be.
gun the Texas only had a. little more
than enough coal to carry her to the
nearest coaling station. He had, az
Commodore Schleys instance, made the
signal for the move westward
Witness said that so far as he knew
there were no general circular orders of
battle
''w ere there any orders for special con-
tingencies?'
None to my knowledge
You would have known il there were?"
That does not follow
Asked about the range given for the
firing of the American guns on May s.
Mr.. Spears said he had given it at 1000
yards under direction of Commodore
Schley. Asked if he had had any con-
versation with Commodore Schley con-
corning that range, he replied in the
negative
did you not state otherwise in the
ward room of the Massac husetts? 2" MIR.
Lemly asked
THAT question is inadmissible," said
Admiral Dewey, unless Commodore
Schley was present
Capt. Lenly and Mr. Hanna contended
it was admissible, and Mr. Rayner con-
coded that it was proper on cross-ex-
animation for the purpose of impeach-
ment. The court then allowed it to go
in and Capt. Lemly asked it more spe-
officially than before, saying:
81 want to know if you did not state
otherwise with regard to that range in
the ward room of the Massachusetts on
the daV of the action OF, Nav 81 than Won