The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1901-08-01
THE PREC[PI|S ISSUED.
Secretary of the Navy Long Issues
His Precept for the Schley
Court Of Inquiry.
SPECIFIC POINTS OF INQUIRY NOTED.
Ths Investigation, as Rsasss,-d by Rear
Admiral Hchiry. wm be Thorough and
scArrbIHE, sRd wan h, Hsid In op~a
Court May he Present Ia i'srsSB or nT
Cspssei.

hfAfNn'Hks eho WIN no hSfa IN wv"
Court May he Present Ia i'srssn OF Br
Cssasei.
Washington, July s7.-The pcrccpt
TO the Schlcy court Of inquiry, which
the navy department has been prcpnr-
ing for several days, Nus given TO tho
public yesterday afternoon. II u a
document addressed 20 Admiral Dew
IS az president Of the court. instruct
ing him concerning the matter 10 he
investigated. While Il directs that
the entire matter" of Admiral
Schlry'S conduct during the opera
ti0ns In West Indian waters shall he
investigated. making nsr of the very
words employed hy admiral Schlcy In
his letter 10 Secretary Long. It also
selects certain distinctive acts OF the
rear.ndmiral concerning the facts
and prupricty of which 1t calls for
particular investigation.
The prcccpl to the court is rs fol-
lows;
80 Admiral Gcorgc Dewey. L. s.
Navy, Washington ID. C.:
Upon request Of Krar-Admiral
Winfield $. Schlcy. L. $. y. mudc in
letter dated July p, 1901. copy here.
with. a court OF inquiry. of which
you are hereby appointed president;
Rear AdmiraiS Lewis \. Kimberly
and Andrew T.. X. lIrnham. L. =. n,
members. aud capt. Samuel {. I.cmly,
1. ;. ~, judge encouragement
Judge ndNOcntr. is hereby ordered 10
convene NJ the navy department,
Washington. u. e., az one o'clock u.
m, on Thursday, the i2ih day ~ Sep
tembcr. 1901, OF a. Suon ihcrcaf ftrr aA
may bc practicable, for the purpose
Of iupuiriug into the coHdurt of tho
said Schlcy, commodore In the navy,
during the recent war with Spain and
IN connection with the events there
OF.
Tine court will thoroughly inquire
into Hll the circumstances bearing
upon the subject ~ the investigation
hereby ordered. aud 10 this end, be-
sides examining orally all proper wit
ncsscs whusc attendance can b. Sc
cured, will call upon the department
for ail documentary evidence in rcla-
ton thereto on its files.
Upon the courlusiuu 81 the in,es-
tigRt,on the court viii report itS pro-
cccdings and the testimony taken,
with a iuli and detailed statement of
the pertinent facts which II may deem
To be- established, together with its
opinion anus rS=ummcndaiiu ions In the
premises.
While the department relies upon
the discretion uf the court TO make
it, examination into this matter fun
and complete, as requested 10y the oG.
hrrr ai whose instance II is convened,
'h" report should ,hnr the conclu-
St"ns reached upon certain points, TO
which attention Is specifically direct
eel. us folluws.
/ tii. conduct ~ ouunrt lion With ,be
CtFits ui th, battle oi santiago "
:. Iu' ,I, uWrtanosF attending. IN" rra.
sons tuuuulii HHd the praprirty OF the
t'"N rtn'uts ul thy "ryiuE sauadTon" ntY
ti"tsu,Eus tu Ma. H'N
SO rrgumstan'.- attending the rra-
sous ''uu"llltg, aHp IA" pr1pFfrty Of ths
mat cintuiH ~ HEld 8quutIuu In pr,l,,,.,,aIus
from Cirniurgus tu santiago
Ihr circumstances attending the ar.
.N4dot ~" 'Hyug squadron of Hantiago
IN" REASONS f0T us trttugtHds. turn wrif.
NHTd and departure from OF Ranti1ru
and De pfoprirty thereof
o. I ne Ch IutuHtHut"H attending aud the
frtsous TOT the d,sot edi.nc, by Commo.
doTe H,hlry uf TIA, utdvIs OF Ihr depaTt.
m'nt contained IN us disvatCh dated May
e. iNe, ana W prophecy OF his conduct
s Tho condition ol the coal supply oT
ih' ms squadron on and about Mas
=, isN Its CuItiur tacllliirr. the nrrcs.
Hty n any. Tor. o. advisabillty Of ,hs
frtt ui th' squadron to Kew West 10
tffl, dnd ~" acsafaty and proprieiy OF
IA" nIhrinl tvPnrt- made by Commodore
s.hrh WAN ffHpevt in this matter
:. whether 90 not every effort H.,
tunb'ut upur The commanding nffsccr OF
iitet uhd,r sucn circumstances was
uadr t. tHptutr ur destroy thu apnutph
cruiser Colon aH shr lay nj anchor in tho
entrance Ut HauliaEr nnfbur May y to 81
Nisablllty OF. tuE FtnE the batteries at
TIE entrance tV eAttiuRn harbur. and the
NhlHiHh N'sarla a bnChOr within the en-
trance to tHtd hnT. 1f al thr FHngeq uHeI
aud the prupficty of Commodore Schiry's
conduct m the premises.
\. Ihy necessity. u any, for. and nd-
ymabili,y uf. .WiihdrBving Of niEin OF the
"Hytng squHd!tu from the entrance TO
hIutluEo hartpi "a e distnnrc al sen n
sLCh shall he found to have been the case;
the extent al,d character of such with.
dlAwul aud whether = close and adequate
blockade ol sid hHfhor. to prevent tho
fssaie OF the tuetny'A vessels therrfrpm,
Sas established. and the propFiety of
Commodore sch.ey'r conduct In the prem
iseh
.. The position OF the Brooklyn on the
morning Of July 3. lNS at the time OF
the ,Nn ~ the spanish yr=sels from the
hatbr a Santiago The circumstances
hittn1,ug. thF r-arnnR Tor and the tnri-
dettH resulting fruIu thc turning OF :st
III ookiyn ln ths direction in which she
turn n 90 about the beginning Of the
pyttrr v ia sgsd fpanish vessels. and the
s~intUiN - thernty collidlnE with or
TnGaHgcIiug ang other Of the vessels of
the lnitnH EtAipH fleet. and the propTiety
of tommodor. Sci lcy'a conduct In the
geH.N's
10 The circumstances leading 20, and the
Incidents auL results of, controversy
with lirut. A,b,tn e. lIadESon. u. = NJ,
who, "n Juis .. issN. during the tattle OF
/ relation 10 the turning Of The Brooslyn
also the col'usuy NJ that time between
t'ommoduie ii hiry and Lieut.. iiodgson
them on The subJset thereof. and the pro-
pFsgly OF the conduct of Admiral schic,
In the premises.
The foregoing specific directions
are given primarily for the informa-
tiou and guidance OF the court, but
do not limit or restrict ,h. scope Of
It's inquiry into the entire matter
the investigation of which Is asked by
the officer concerned.
"Renr-Admiral Schicy has been in
formed OF his right to be present,
either in person or by counsel, dur
ing the Investigation, TO cross-cxam-
inc witnesses. aud to offer evidence
before the court. should he so desire.
The court may At any time grant TO
others interested and entitled there
TO like privileges.
''The investigation win he held In
open court.
This employment on shore duty is
required by the public interests.
Given under my hand. at the navy
department. Washington. this 26th
day Of July. niueteen hundred mud
me. JOHN u. LONG,
Secretary"