Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-09-26

Washington, SEPT. 90. After an In
terinission oil eight days, the Sohley
Naval Court OF Inquiry resumed its sit
tines au 11o'clook today in the tool shop
at the navy yard. Rear din iral Ramsuy
occupied the seat which in the first day
of the session was filed by Rear
!. Admiral Howison.
The first order Of business was the
reading by Judge Advocate Lelnly
the order OF tine Navy Department ap,
pointing Rear-Admiral Ramsay to a
place on the court in place of Rear
admiral Howisou and when this was
accomplished, Capt Lemly turned to
Admiral Schley aud asked him, as he
did when Admiral Howison was ohal-
legged, whether he had any objection
TO urge against any member OF the
court. The Admiral arose as this ques-
tion was asked, and replied; 81 have
mott
The Judge ivocate then swors the
members OF the cnurt collectively, and
vas in turn sworn 10 as Judge advocate.
Tie court then retired for consultation.
The withdrawal was for the purpose
OF discussing the methods of pro
cedure, and was at the instance of Judge
Advocate LeInly. lie suggested that it
was usual on such occasions TO clear
the courtroom, but said that the court
+ could withdraw In lieu OF this proceed.
ing " the court SO desired. Admiral
e Dewey announced that the court would
kpursue the latter course. Before the
Withdrawal, a letter from Admiral
a6chley to the Navy Department, re
q questing to be supplied with all papers
bearing upon the case, and the depart
|rpapttc raulv finn the
Xread.
"A At. 11.25 O'Clock the court returned
from it's consultation. The judge advo-
cate, addressing Admiral Schluy ms
1.-the applicant. asked IL he bad any
tHR gestiors to make as to the method
iqt proceeding whether he had some-
fhing to offer or desired that he Lemly)
pFpceed. The Admiral responded with
14nod of the head and a move of the
hand Ego ahead. y
kr. Lemly then presented the reIort
off the Bureau of Navigation for 1893,
lahy Geographic chart OF the West lndiss
and ad iaoent seas and other charts. lie
s sibted explicitly that they we're intro.
duced not as testimony, but as books of
Inference.
Will they preclude the introductio
~ original documents?" Judge Wilson
asked.
Vt'Not at all, ), was the reply. "on
thu contrary, We shall desire TO intro.
duce The original documents when
opbortunity Offers.
NQapt. Parker made objection to the
photographic chart when 1t was pre-.
eented. 1T is grossly incorrect, = he
said. 'Au q matter of fact, the coast
3}ne OF Cuba Ia six miles further south
MHU6 mi 1A kn, .
stould be- y He, however, Withdrew
lbs objection when assured that this
echart was not to be used AZ evidence =
nIeetNsoS THE FIRST WITNESS.
IA dmiral Hieginson, Commander in.
ohief OF he North Atlantic Squadron,
iWAb the first witness called. He gave
This full name as Francis j. Higginson,
land rank as that of Rear-A dmiral. He
tsaid he now Is in command of the
North Atlantic Squadron. that he had
rs captain commanded the batteship
Massachusetts during the Spanish
War, and that for portion Of the time
the Massachusetts, had been part of
the flying squadron OF which Admiral
Schley had been in command. lie
told OF Joining the fleet at Newport
News. OF going to Key West. and then,
on May 22d, of going to Cienfuegos.
Cuba. Key West had been left on May
18th, 1898, and Cienfuegos reached on
May 22o
'fWhat was then done to secure com.
munica ion with the Cuban forces on
shoregn Capt. Lemly asked.
Nothing TO my knowledge" the
witness replied.
al did not sac that anything was
done, but | understood that informa-
tion concerning the Cuhans was re-
ceived through Capt. McCalla,' Ad.
niral Hieginson said in response to
questions.
He also told in reply to questions of
the presence OF the collier Merrimac,
,pd of the departure from Cienfuegos
the arrival at Santiago On tho
fsafening of May 26th.
In reply TO questions he said that the
Massachusetts had at that time taken
on about 80 tons of coal, but that as
the weather was rough this was done
with difficulty. =
The witness also told of Che fleet g
leaving Santiago for Key West on the
night Of its arrival at the former place,
add OF how, after steaming westward
for some time, the vessels ALL in re.
Spouse to Commodore SchIey's signals,
sturned and steamed to within two or
nkee miles of the mouth OF the harbor.
WhRt happened to cause the deci-
lon to return to Key West?'' the wit
cess was asked.
~ don's know, was the reply.
ffWhat was the condition of the
Weather at the time for coaling at sea?'
flt was not impossible to coal,
tAink. -
NF'Did you have an conference with
the commanding officer in regard 10 re-
: turning to Santiago after you had
& gotten on the way to Key WestY'
"No. We acted under general orders.
a All I'VE did was to follow the Signals
A of the flagship the signals of the com
mander-in chief. d"
Speaking of the conditions when San
tiago narbor was again reached, the
Il admiral said that ne could see we'll into
The narboI, and that no saw the Span
ish ship Colon lying in the outer har.
Dor. He did not remember seeing other
n vessels. but the Colon was then 1000
ards beyond Moro Castle The vessel
v lad lain there until she was fred upon,
which was done on May 3lst, and had
5then retired.
Describing thie engagement, Admiral
Higgiuson said it was on the day be-
Y Tore the arrival OF reinforoements under
admiral Sampson. He said that AID
miral Sohley had come aboald and sail
that he wantsd "to 60 in and fire on
the Colon
al $50 we went in and fired on her, -
& continued the witness. He said the
Ishots fell short OF the Colon. and that
{the Spanish shore battery had in turn
ired at tbs bombarding ships.
4.H In ranlv ro otleati0na aa IN what had