The sun., 1901-10-05
THE SCHLEY INQUIRY.
Commander Rodgers Called to the
Stand.
EVIDENCE ON COAL SUPPLY.
sDyson Says That BROOKLYN on May
20 Had Enough Fuel to Chnse
the Enemy and Return to
Key West.

the recall OF witnesses who were on the
stand yesterday, and after they had
corrected their previous testimony and
made such additions thereto as suggest
ed themselves they We're excused, and
new witnesses We're introduced.
Captain Dawson of the marine corps
was called to correct the official copy
of his testimony. He said that While
he had not seen the Brooklyn swinging
with starboard helm lie was sure that
she did SO swing.
Lieutenant Dyson, who was on the
witness stand when the court adjourn
ed, was then recalled. He had added
to his coal history of the fleet informa-
tion as to how long the supply of coal
on hand May 26 would have held out
under forced draft. The information
was contained in chart which was
read by Judge Advocate Lemly. The
witness also read the same information
from tabular statement. The chart
covered tile period from May IS to
June l. Ii showed that on May 20 the
Brooklyn's supply Of coal was 352 tons,
the Iowas 7S4 tons. the Texas HOS tons
and the Marblehead's 122 tons.
lie said that on May "a the Brooklyn
had coal enough aboard to have re-
manned on blockade duty off Santiago
for twenty-five days and then to have
returned to Key West; the Massachu-
sctts enough to remain seventeen days
and then go to Key West; the Iowa
enough for eleven days; the Texas
seven days and the AIarblehead one
day. This was assuming that they
would have gone by the Yucatan chan
mel. lie also gave an estimate of tht
length of time they could have remain
I'd and gone to Gonniyes channel, Cape
Cruz, Mole st. Nicholas. Kingston.
Tort Antonio, Jamaica, Guantanamo
lay, the time Of remaining on blockade
being Increased as the distance to the
various points diminished,
Commander Rodgers Called.
Lieutenant Dyson was followed on the
stand by Commander Il. L. Rodgers,
WHO was executive officer of the battle
ship Iowa during the summer of 1898.
lie testified TO leaving Key West on
May 20 for Cienfuegos to join the fly
ing squadron. Before leaving he had.
he said, conference with Commander
in Chief Sampson, at which Captains
Taylor and Chadwick were present.
a At that time he was told by Admiral
81 Sampson that he had received inforna
~ tion from the department at Washing
NJ tion that the Spanish fleet, under Ger
Il vera. was probably in the harbor in
f Santiago. He, however had not been
4 Informed of any secret code for com
niunication with the Cuban insurgents
Dcar Cirnfuegos. He had. lie said
# taken dispatches for Commodore
E Schley, and while not certain whether
sf& there was more than one package lie
was under the impression there was
AZ more than that number. One of tnt
Hi dispatches carried ut this time was. the
IA witness thought, that signed by Secre
# tary Long and dated Washington
S 1870 o'clock, May ~, and beginning
"fhe report Of the Spanish fleet being
"A at Santiago de Cuba might very wei
n he correct, so the department strongly
"A ndviseS that you send word immediate
~ hN the Iowa to Schley to proceed
"a off Santiago with his whole command
81 leaving one small vessel off Cienfue
81 los."
Commander Rodgers was examined
81 nj length concerning the coaling of the
& flying squadron.
# Gould You have coaled the Iowa on
# the afternoon of May 26y' Mr.. IIannf
asked
In the late afternoon. the time
@ speak Of, the weather being fine ant
smooth, think there would have beer
IA no trouble at all, replied the witness.
W when the collier can deliver coal
can battleship like the Iowa take il 2
. With ship like the Iowa, with nc
III hroadSidc guns. the danger in coalina
& ht sea Is entirely to the collier"
& rs there any more danger to col
@ lier with lsttleship on either side?"
NJ There wsnld he very great danger Il
M collier IN coaling batteships with :
|# hnttleship on either side"
M Signals From Fiagship.
NH Captain Rodgers related two or thre,
M instances in which the ships of the fiy
M ing squadron We're cleared for actor
# upon signal from the flagship Brook
.s lyn before May 81, when vessels wer,
PA discerned III the distance In each cas-,
3& the vessels proved to be American
@ ships. Each time the signal was t,
clear for action and make speed O
IN twelve knots an hour. lie also told o
$ the bombanlment or reconnaissance O
4 the Gristohal Colon on May 81, in whicl
M the Iowa participated He said til,
"a vessels were all in formation and fol
5M lowing the tiagship, which in that in
stance was the Massachusetts. I'll,
W range was nj first given at 1000 yards
~ Tor this engagement, but the shots fel
so far short that the range was in
creased to ll,0oO yards. These latte
shots fell into the channel in which til,
Soion lay. Some of them must hay,
Hen within 800 yards of the Spanisl
Ship.
describing Commodore Schley's block
noe Of the harhor at Santiago. CaptaiI
Rodgers said that the fleet maintaine,
@a posltloh OF seven or eight miles out
with the Alarblehead and the Vixen in
side the line. lie remembered that th
s Nlarblehcad was on the inside from tn
A iact That some of the vessels in th
f6E squadron lad fred at her. He coul,
z2# not say whether the fleet was farthe
E out III the day than at night nor vic