The Washington times., 1901-09-22

~.
twelve miles.
The witness was asked IT,. when the
squadron approached Cienfuegos, he had
No sir: j did not" he said. I'VE un-
derstood that II was heard fran the flag
ship but talking it over on board the
| Massachusetts, there were none of us who
had heard tt
CThis quesiion-was- s--Wilh- reference to
Admiral Schley's statement in a report
that firing had been heard at Cienfuegos,
Indicating that the enemys ships had
arrived and were being saluted)-
The judge advocate then took up the
firing on the Colon, which Admiral Schley
had reported as reconnaissance. The
witness was asked if he saw Admiral
Schley when he came aboard the Massa-
chuset,s. which was his temporary flag
ship that day.
NY Yes sir; Was with captain "a ,,, and
mander Schroeder. When he came on
board he said that he was going to take
us us and the Iowa in to pot the Colon t"
squadron withdrew. Asked TO give an ac-
count of the action. the witnsss said:
when we headed in for the batteries
the understanding was that the range
would be 5000 yards. We were about
SEES yards away. | think. %hen we put
the helm to port and started to the east
ward parallel to the coast gssross the en-
trance and opened fire. The range as
given by the navigator. as i remember
was about 5000 yards The first shot was
from the forward 13-inch ,tprret. That
shot fall. 1t made a very distinct and
marked splash. and Immediately called
out; out That 7 a thousand yards short I
hole of the sighting head Of the forward
turret to Lieutenant Glennoff: Put your
sight tube 5000 yards. -
Firing on the Colon.
Q. How many times and ~ What speed
did the Massachusetts passsthe entrance
to the harbor during this action?
a. The speed was ten knotsand we pass
ed twice. once to the eastward and then
back to the westward
-. Returning to the blockade / neglect
ed to ask you whether there was any diff
ference as to distance between the night
and the day blockade / mean the dis
tance of the blockading squadron from
A. No, sir: If there was any difference
1t was not material think it was al
ways the same. | think we had dis
tance of six to.eght-Tniies-~ L do not think
for the night nor do 1 think it was de-
creased. | think it was largely a matter
of chance depending on where we should
happen to be when nightfall came.
-. What was the effect of this lombard
mcnt upon the Colon?
i. There was no effect produced that
could see.
Q. State fully and in detail what was left
undons which was looking to the destruc-
day?
a. One thing that was not done was go-
ing in TO closer range. | suppose that
might have been done, and passing by
the range.
obstacle to prevent the squadron going in
nearer on that day?
a. No, sir.
The judge advocate and Admiral
Schley'S coGase, got.inSo a legai-argument
about the admissability of a suggestion by
the witness to Captain H!gsinson in re-
gard to turning the ship Admiral Schley's
counsel said as the witness was not sure
that Admiral Schiey overheard the re-
mark 1t couldApot baadnitted- The Court
sustained this view.
Commander Schroeder said in response
to further questioning that he heard Ad
miral Schley give an order after the Mas
sachusetts had passed the harbor en-,
get out of this Another; question
brought out this statement from the wit
ness: After saying that he admiral
Schley) was going to take us and the
Iowa in to not the Colon he added that
we would go by. slowly and fire deliber.-.
ateiy. SO as to sink her at her moorings.
and In ire sSe deliSsfatsiy?" fa & fY0 81 = s's
mo. sir; we went by at about ten knots
speed.
A question to the witness as to how
much coal there was in the Massachu-
setts brought out the remark from Ad-
miral Dewey that this was taking up time
unnecessarily, as the information was all
in the log book.
Crcss- -exa T.sas.i Ass -3aastssSA Asaiis-b.s COM
mander Schroeder said he had no knowl-
edge of any signals between the squadron
aud the saOre until Captain ncCaila came
on the Marblehead and found out from
the Cubans on land that the Spanish ships
were not at Cienfuegos. The Flying
SQUADRON got under way at about )
O. clock in the evening of May a, and the
witness had an impression that the idea
was not to start untif afrer' dark so as
not TO give tie enemy knowl edge OF where
the squadron was going. 1.-THE Navy De-
partment has claimed that Admiral
Schley delayed moving from CienfueSos
after he found the Spanish squadron was
not there)
on the trip to Santiago one night the
sea. said the witness, was little boiS-
tcrous, so the ships had to slow down
for one of the smaller vessels. but it was
could not be felt In the blockade OF
Santiago by Schley the distance main
tanned was six or seven miles ron snore-
The witness remembered the Vixen see
ing n railroad train near Santiago. She
was close to the shore, expect, he said.
After Admiral Sampson came the form
of blockade was changed. The blockad-
ing ships were then about four miles out
in the day and closer at night. Later
they were closer in day and night.
Composing the Two Blockades.
Solicitor Hanna here interposed. He
wanted to know what was the purpose of
enquiring as to the conduct of the block
ade after June l, when Sampson came.
Judge Wilson responded:
You are complaining about the block
ade that was made. A day or two after.
when Admiral Sampson brought addition
al ships. he changed it; and l expect TO
show before we get through that the dis
tance out was Just about the same with
his ships. and with these others that were
cruising backward and forward"
Mr. Hannah that is the purpose, may
it please the Court, we desire TO object TO
any comparisons between this blockade
and any other blockade Instituted at any
other time and place. We have avoided
comparisons and we think 1t
has 10 relevancy. ...... ...
present. Hereafter it may become very
material question. and do not want 10
take the time Of the Court now IN dis
cussing it. ] will bring it to the Courts
Judge Wilson then wanted to know of
the witness. If during Schiey's blockade.
the American vessels went oil twenty-five
miles from shore ut night.
NO SIR" sal1 Commander schroeder.
Il do not think they We're ever any dis
tanCe like that except mat nrst day When
we arrived. when we were twenty or odd
miles Of
In other words. you maintained this
blockade six or seven miles out until the
time Admiral Sampson came on the
scene?" .-.'
Il think that was generally the dis
tance; six or seven nautical miles.
on redirect examination by Solicitor
Hanna. the witntss, said that the Flying
Squadron did not proceed with all de-
spatch to Santiago. To Judge Wilson
Commander Schroeder said that he sup