Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-14
purpose. The run on the night Of the

PURPOSE ne run on Tue nlbul VI NhN
Gath was. he said, fairly good.
The next day the weather was squal-
ly and stormy with sea which was
moderate to rough" On the 18th the
weather moderated but there was
long and nasty sea" with the ships
rolling good deal. They had beer
compelled TO slow up In order to ac'
commodate the Eagle, the commodore
desiring to keep the fleet intact as II
was in column formation.
There was then, he said, considerable
talk on the part Of the commodore
concerning the coal supply he feellnl
that if the then present expenditure
was 70 continue, II would not continue
long He was still especially concern
ed about the Texas and had said e
him, capt Cook that 1--WE must keer
the ships In fighting trim" They had
consulted charts and talked over the
case, looking for place III for coaling,
Finally. he said, they hit upon Con
aives bay and had decided TO lay q
course for that point. 1.-THE idea" he
said, was that we should proceed In
the direction Of Santiago, and that II
We found the sea such that we could
coal we would Immediately institute
the blockade, but II not practicable to
do that We would proceed to Gonaives
bay and coal there
What, IL anything, did you say TO
the commodore after he started to-
ward Santiago?
"He started as soon as he found the
Texas had enough coal My impress
sion Is that he said he should go to
Santiago that he found II practicable
to coal from Golfers and there he should
stay. II they got too short Of coal he
would go 10 Gonaives bay or try some
where else"
What did you say to hlm?'
81 think | said You decided wisely "
did you say L congratulated
81 don't recollect. ! may or may not,
] think 1t was a subject Of cQngratula-
ton"
Capt. Cook related the particulars Of
the meeting with the scout ships OFF
Santiago and told Of Capt. Cotton and
Capt Sigsbee coming on board Speak
ing Of Capt. Sigsbee's visit he told OF
his bringing the pilot Nunez aboard, but
Capt. Cook said that he had not at first
been inspired with confidence In that
individual. although he afterwards
found he was a reliable man.
RETRoGRADE MOVEMENT TO KEY
WEST.
The witness then in response to ques-
lions detailed the retrograde movement
Of the flying squadron toward Key
West, beginning May 26 He said his
first information that such a movement
was 10 be undertaken was when he re-
ceived orders to move. He had. he said,
informed Commodore Schley on the eve
ming of the 9th that he thought the
sea had become calm enough to coal
and had found that the commodore had
also reached the same conclusion.
Replying to questions concerning the
blockade of Santiago, Capt. Cook said
that Commodore Schley's constant idea
was that the vessels should be kept
we'll supplied with coal and kept NOV
ing constantly as his theory was that
the Spanish fleet would come out of
the harbor.
why was the circular blockade not
Mr.. Hanna asked.
There are many forms Of blockade,
and | have nothing but praise for the
circular blockade" replied the witness,
but the idea was TO get the Spaniards
to come out and TO have our ships NOV
ing and ready for action"
What were your orders of battle
from May ~ to June l?'
I'VE did not have any. The fleet was
always in condition for action"
did you call that a battle order?"
at Is possible to have an order for
battle II you know Just what condi-
lions you are going TO meet The idea
with us was to be able T. fight the
Spanish fleet whenever we should meet
II. / think that was understood by all.
| so understood it,"
III the fleet had come out Of the har-
Dor previous to June what would you
have done?"
I'VE would have obeyed the orders of
the commanding officer"
"Were the fighting ships always in
order for battle?"
Il always supposed they were; the
was always in excellent or
DER
BATTLE OFF SANTIAGO.
General interest was manifested
the courtroom when Mr..
Hanna began his inquiry about the bat
tie of July 3, He asked Were you
on deck when the fleet came out OF
Santiago harbor on July 3, when they
were first sighted"
The reply was In the negative; he
had al that time been In the cabin
How did you first learn the feet was
coming out?"
81 heard the executive officer call out
Clear ship for action, and as had CIV
IN directions to have the ship ready for
Inspection | knew at once something
was happening. l went on deck i'm
mediately"
Had you had any intimaton the
night before that the fleet was coming
)ut2'
"No. | turned In the night about mid
night feeling rather the other way all
nope Of their coming out having been
given up
when you came on deck where were
he Spanish vessels? What were they
ioing?"
when | first arrived on the forecas-
he there were two In sight. The third
me was Just inside the entrance and
he fourth appeared Immediately after
ward"
What did they do when they came
lul, NnlNH way uiu luts uNhl
WHEN sPANIARDs CAME OUT,
I'VE went to the westward The en-
rance to us was about northeast by
iorth. The fleet came out south and
urned as they left the entrance to
our points southwest so that they
urned in our direction. When | first
yot on deck the helm had been star
boarded heading a little 10 the north
ward. When / saw the fleet they
we're heading southwest and seemed TO
,e coming straight for the interval be-
ween the Texas and the Brooklyn. |
vent In the coming tower and directed |
he helmsman. ! told him what |
wanted 10 do was TO keep straight for |
he fleet. They wavered a little Some |
lines they turned one way and then |
mother. We shifted helm once or |
vice. but very little indeed, and fin
lily when we were getting up fairly |
lose, say between 800 and 1000 yards. |
/ seemed to me clear that they wanted |
o pass between the Texas and the |
brooklyn The Texas was well on our |
tarboard, and she was headed 10 the |
lorthward and westward. All ships |
we're carrying out the instructions Of |
he Communicating chief and that was
o head in for the entrance. We were
gell to the westward and headed 10 the |
Iortheast When | saw that, | ported |
he helm perhaps halfway over She
vas swinging starboard very rapidly |
he Spanish fleet was coming straight