The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1901-10-26


dertaken the reconnaissance if | had
not desired to do so. had some re.
gard for those standing on the turrets,
thinking they were exposing them
selves to danger from shock. which
was unnecessary to them. though |
was differently circumstanccd. and
expressed myself. Commander Potts
Is entirely in error in saying | took
advantage Of cover. That ! did rot do,
for was not concerned about myself"
Speaking Of the range Of 1000 Yards.
the admiral said that Commander
Potts had himself reported on that
range and that he aAdEliral Sehley)
had not known for several days that
the range had been altered.
Batteries Promptly Responded.
THE moment We began firing" he
went on. the shore batteries respond
cd. some Of them using smokeless
powder. There was quite a stream OF
projectiles and | was impressed with
The idea that they must be from guns
0f six or eight inch calibrc. The shot
from the Zocapa battery evidently
reached the fleet. Some went over our
ships and one went beyond and over
be Vixen. which was half a mile dis
I tant.'
Tho strength Of the batteries being
established it would have been Mill
sy folly TO have risked the battle
hps further To fire from those shore
,att"nes. under ny instructions. II
Se hal lost one Or Two Of our six or
seven vessels the loss wonld have
been very great Disadvantage and it
S.,h y ;,sS. ~. n
as,rous results | thought il better
policy 10 save the ships for wider and
better use ana subsequent events jus
tilted my decision
Here the witness abruptly turned
from the bombardme nj OF the Colon 10
a discussion OF the coaling question.
He sa'd that his instructions had been
TO coal on every possible occasion. He
then quoted and put III as evidence a
number OF dispatches giving the in
structions Of the department on this
question. He related in this connec-
tion the receipt Of number of dis
patches from the department which
had. he said. been brought by Captain
Cotton. He was sure that the dis
| patches could not have been received
| before MAY 81.
When he received these dispatches
| the admiral. in answer 10 questions By
| Mr. Rayner. testified that he had al
| ready discovered tn Spanish fleet.
lie had also surmountea the diff
| hculties about coaling and had so in
| formed tne department.
On the 3lst hc received. he thought
| by way Of a press tug from Port An
tony the dispatch from Admiral Samp-
| son. dated May 81 congratula'ing him
| upon the location Of the Spanish fleet.
| In reply TO questions by his counsel
| Admiral Schley explained that Cape
| Cruz was an exposed place l09 miles
| from Santiago and he did not regard
| II as an available place for coaling.
Admiral Sampson Arrives.
Admiral Schley took occasion TO
speak Of the instructions to him 10 eX-
anime into Guantanamo as a coalinS
basis. To do this he said. was not
practicable as az least LOCO marines
would have been necessary TO slard
that point and these could not be
spared.
III We had gone there We should
have invited attack. he said.
These" he added were among the
matters had TO consider
This brought Admiral Schley TO the
time Admiral sampson. commander
in-chief Of the North Atlantic squad
ron. arrived. He said:
"On June Admiral Sampson arriv'
ed. He brought with him the New
York. the Oregon and Mayflower and
steamed down 10 the westward. a lit
lie inside Of the line. 4 little time
was spent in making the turn and l
WAS on board He was very cordial,
very glad 10 see me. and explained 10
him the situation and the fact OF the
reconnaissance He seemed to be very
glad 10 find out the situation there and
pointed on. TO him the Colon lying
| In the entrance.
Capta,n Lemly objected-"lf the
court please. We are getting beyond
the courts construction of the scope
Of the precept."
Admiral Dewev-"As ! understand
| i, he is turning the command over 10
tho commander-in-ch | want TO
hear that. would like to hear that
part"
Continuing Admiral Schley said:
II handed him a number OF dis
patches. explained to him the situation
AND told him the form of blockade that
| I had maintained and heard no word
Of complaint from him. In fact. III
view of the telegram of eongratulation'
| supposed naturally everything was
approved. Admiral SIMPSONS rela'
tions and mine were always eordlai.
! never had any difference with him.
Admiral Dewey-"Iou have turned
the command over. Now go on
II turned the command over TO Ad-
miral Sampson. and my squadron was
not broken up until the 18th or 18TH
Of Iunc. | was still in command or
tho hving squadron and composed the
loft half OF the blockading line at San
tiago. or course have no criticisms
TO offer: merely plain straight story
to tell of what its operations were up
TO that time"
schley Describes the Battle.
Admiral Schley began his descrip-
tion of the battle of July at 2:lo
o'clock. lie said that the day broke
! fair with pleasant land breeze.
Describing the coming out or the
harhor of the Spanish feet. the Wit
ness said:
Il was sitting on deck on a hatch
way when | heard call from the ior'