Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-10-14
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence OF the Alexandra Gazette. ]
Washington. October IA.

Lemly would probably close his side oil
the case in the Schley court OF inquiry
today. He said before court convened
that he had but three more witnesses:
| CAPTAIN Cook, OF the Brooklyn, Lieut..
Pulliam and Lieut.. Scale, Admiral
| Dewey called the court TO order at III
o'clock when Lieutenant Commander
StauntoD, Captain Chadwick and Lieu
tenant Twining made unimpoftaut cor
rections to their testimony OF Saturday.
! Captain Francis A. Cook, Of the Brook
lyn, was the first new witness Of the
day. "What information did you have
on the 10Th OF May of the whereabouts
of Cervera's f1eet?" asked Hanna.
THAT they had left Cadiz for the
Canaries and part OF them had been
sighted at Martinique and from consu'
lar information they had gone to
Curacoa. The purpose OF the flying
squadron being sent to Cienfuegos was
to intercept the Spanish squadron. We
we're told it carried munitions OF war
and Cienfuegos was understood to
be their objective point, because it was
con nected by rail with Havana. felt
that we had q fair chance OF meeting
the Spsniards somewhere and the gen.
eral impression was that we would
meet them at Cienfuegos." Witness
went into details concerning the opera
lions in front OF Cienfuegos and the
reasons for the belief that the Spanish
| feet was In that port. "DId you hear
| any firing at Cienfuegosp" was asked
witness. ~ heard 1t spoken oil, but |
cannot remember whether or not l
heard suy myself. CoDjectures about
it we're made by the officers OF the ship.
Schley thought it was jubilee of some
kind and was very jubilant over it, and
confident he had Cervera there. A
blockade of that port was instituted
from the moment of our arrival on the
morning OF May 22nd. Witness told Of
the efforts to communicate with the in.
surgeuts and obtain more positive in
formation concerning Cervera's fleet.
He could not recall whether the McCalla
memorandum was among the papers
brought by the Iowa or Dupont May %
Continuing, witness said: 1.-THE Brit
ish ship Adule came from Jamaica
and gave us tip that the Spanish feet
had gone into Santiago May 10Th and
left there. l thought the Adula was
very suspicious. The Commodore said:
81 don'b care anything about the Adula
but do care about the Spanish feet.
When the Adus comes out We will
learn whether Cervera is in there. II
the Captain don't tell us, we will get
the Information from passengers. The
Adula did not come out and that
strengthened our belief that the Span
ish feet was 10 there" "What was
the state OF the coal supply off Cien-
fuegos" ut was not such as to give
me any anxiety except as to the Texas.
The commodore was anxious to have
as much coal ss possible aboard"
"Were you at any time before June
1st, apprehensive over the coal supply
of the Brooklyn ?" 81 was not, al
though there were times when l wished
we had more COAL" do you know
what dispatches were brought by the
Hawk May 23i2" Commodore Schley
told me he had orders to 60 to SAINT.
isgo if he was satisfied the Spanish
feet was not in Cienfuegos. He told
me be was not satisfied on that point.
"What induced him to leave2" "The |
Capt. McCalla got from the |
Cubans May "a, that the Spanish yes
sells were not in CieDfuegos. The |
was very anxious about the |
supply OF coal we would have when
we reached SANTIAGO" Witness then
told of the retrogsde movement with |
Key West ss the destination and the
subsequent start for Santiago. "At
Santiago" Capt. Crook said, "a moving
blockade was established because 1t |
was Commodore Schley's idea to keep
the ships cosled mp and steaming. He
thought the enemy might come out at
suy time. He was anxious to get them
to come out rather than to pen them
TO-" Witness then gave his observs.
tions of the battle OF Ssnti go July 8.
when the feet came out / went to
the pilot house and told the helmsman
TO 90 straight for them. They wavered
\ little from time to time but maintain
I'd general direction, as have said. 1t
seemed to me clear that they wanted
10 go between us and the Texas. They
we're about l 200 or l, 400 yards distance.
When / saw that l ported the helm,
half way over. The Spaniards were
,omiDg at US very rapidly. Then l
vent out and saw they were turning to
he west. We were going south. The
Commodore called to me: 'Is your helm
hard a-port?' 1 replied: 1T Is hard
i-port. We are turning as fact as pos
Iible.' / never saw the starboard side
II the Texas at all We passed to the
iouih 10 the turn and shortly afterwsrd
traightened out for the west"
The idea OF collision with the
Texas never entered my mind. We
passed perfectly clear OF the Texas. l
AVE handled the Brooklyn under ell
circumstances and l should say we
we're about 400 yards from the Texas.
There was no danger OF collision.
after making the turn the Brooklyn ,
lone was receiving the fire Of the Wis
ava, Colon and Oquendo. Then / saw
large white mass in the water and the
oregon forged up through the smoke. /
cit perfectly assured from that moment
What was the bearing of admiral
'chley 10 action so far as you observed
imp" asked Hanna. Il always re.
srded him al an enthusiastic, brave
nd patriotic officer. l never had apy .
Their ides." The court then took it's
DON recess. At the afternoon session
,aptsin Cook resumed the stand. ibid
GU cay directly or indirectly, Damn the
'exas," was asked witness. "Me? No
Ir. / had every reason to bless her,"
Lieutenan. Commander VIM. F.
'ullham, who was q lieutenant and 4