The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-11-14

w any one person. ALI eyi-
uentiy strove to do their utmost and
ms was accomplished one of the
grandest naval victories ever won
When the Spanish feet stood to the
west ward 1t was the duty of our
V"Sse to follow, whether or not
the signal follow the fiag' was made.
and none such has been found of ra-
cord except after the Colon had sur
rendered.
"Cnder this branch of the discus.
sion falls the turning of the Brook.
iyh with port helm, endangering,
ny turning in an opposite direction
from the other vessels, certainly the
Texas, and perhaps other vessels as
well. 1t Is clearly established that
the Texas did stop, and that she re.
Versed at least one Of her engines
believe both-to avoid collision
with the flagship. The responsi.
bility for this movement-the loon
must, in any case, rest upon Rear
Admiral Schley. He himself SAYS
sO."
In turning his attention to the
famous Hodgson-Schley colloquy,
Captain Lemly said:
"The colloquy alleged TO have
taken place between Rear Admiral
Schley and the navigator, Lieut..
Commander Hodgson, is not in it.
self Of much importance, and lay
little stress upon the fact that the
Rear Admiral, not in a malignant
spirit, but in the heat Of action, may
have used the words damn the
Texas; let her look out for herself
or words to that effect, except as
they may indicate disregard on the
part of the flag officer for the safety
of another vessel. Farragut under
somewhat different conditions said,
Damn the tOrpedoes in Mobile
Bay Nor do regard the naviga-
tor as having committed an impro-
priety in warning the Rear Ad.
miral on the spur of the moment
if he so thought that there was dan
ger of collision with the Texas.
For it was a case in which urgency
was required in speaking up.
In concluding, Captain Lemly alb
solved Rear Admiral Schley from
all charges of cowardice, saying:
"From my knowledge of the
man, having served under his com
mand on two cruisers, have never
believed, nor do claim from the
evidence that personal misconduct
or, to call spade, spade-coward-
ice, was exhibited by Schley in any
part of his career as COMMANDMENTS
chief of the flying squadron. But l
submit, with regret, that, in the
passage from Key West to Cienfue
gos, while at the latter port, er
route to the south ward of Santiago,
without settled destination in the
retrogade movement in the return
to the vicinity of Santiago, and in
the affair of May 81, the Rear Ad.
miral exhibited unsteadine5s of pur
pose and failure to obey orders
The characterization of the conduc
is, however, for the court.
81 trust that 1 may be pardoneC
if L remind you, gentlemen, thai
the first importance of the matters
before you is not as they relate tt
any individual, but as they con
ce n the naval service.I 1t is for you t.
lay down standard Of conduct tt
be followed in future similar cases
a standard such as that set by Ou
naval commodore, like John Pau
Jones, Decatur, Perry, Farragut, th'
PorterS and others. A sense O
propriety forbids my mentioning
the living"
There was no attempt at applause
when Judge Advocate Lemly con
cluded. He read his entire address
from typewriter manuscript, bu
dramatic effect. AS soon as he con
cluded the court adjourned.