The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-01
EVANS ON STAND.

Rear-Adniral Ropley d. Evans was
called to the witness stand. He stated
that he hacJ first joined the hying squad
ron off Cienfuegos orp May 22d, at T.
NJ. whe1. he took dispatches fro-a Adj
miral Sampson to Commodore Schhey.
These dispatches he had sent to Com
InoGtore Sch!ey by his executive officer,
Commander Rodgers, he not seeing the.
Commodore himself AS the dispatches
were sealed, he did not know their con-
tents.
Judge Advocate Lemly: please state
what if anything, was done. while >--e
squadron was off Cienfuegos toward de-
veloping the fact as to whether the Span
isl squadron under Admiral Cervera was
er was not in the harbor of Cienfuegos?"
There was nothing done, SO lar as
I knew
what. if anything, within Your knowl-
edge was, done toward destroying or pre-
venting the further completion of the
eneny's batteries in the vicinity OF Glen
fuegos ~
con sunday afternoon. am quite sure
it was Commodore Schley formed his
squadron in columns and stood in to a
range of about "a mile and a, half from
shore, made turn and stood" out again.
That is the only thing know.
Were, you then within range of the
batteries in the vicinity OF CienfueSos
with the heavier guns of your ship?
81 did not see any batteries. There was
a work they were completing there
EASY RANGE.
Were you within range of this?'
Quite easy range, yes.
Did the Iowa coal ship While in Glen
fuegos. ana if SO, how much coal did she
take?''
1--WE took in $50 tons of coal on the
sd.
WAS any effort made by the Flying
Squadron en- May 2Sth. 29th or Both to
communicate with the insurgents on shore
near Santiaso?"
None to my knowledge.
Testifying- that he had first seen the
Colon on May 10th. Admiral Evans said
that vessel was not inside the harbor at
all but WAS about 500 yards inside the
Moro. He then detailed the particulars
OF the bornbard1nent OF the Colon on May
:i1st, saying that on the forenoon of that
Gay Commodore Schley lad siGnatled' to
transfer the flag TO The Massachusetts,
that he was going in to engage the Colon.
Describing that engagement the witness
said:
THE COMMANDMENT.
about five minutes to one 1 saw the
first shot from the Massachusetts fall
short a long distance, and supposing she
was firing at 1000 yards I gave the range
TO my guns 5000 yards l saw these shots
fall short and Increased the range to 5000
yards. After the Massa chusetts had pass
ed the entrance 20 the harbor She turned
with port helm and steamed back, the
New Orleans and the Iowa following. On
the run back across the harbOr / again
fired at 10000 yards. The shots still fell
short, and as the Massachusetts and New
Orleans slowed down and stopped after
they got across slowed my engine, then
Increased the range to 11,000 yards and
fred two shots from the forward 12-inch
turret. The first one was fired by Lieu
tenant Van Dueser at II 900 yards. I saw
that it fell short Lieutenant Hill had the
other gun in that turret. I gave him the
range at HOO yards and he fired. and
that shot struck very near the stern of the
Colon. Both 12-inch guns We're disa bled'
at the fire from that extreme elevation.
After that we stood a mile and a half,
possibly two miles TO our blockading sta
ton again. That was all saw done to
injure the Colon
The witness WAS then asked about 2the
blockade off Santiago under Commodore
Schley. He said the squadron stood
seven or eight miles out during the day
time and a little further out at night. with
the Vixen and Marblehead on the inside
at night.
The Judge advocate asked the witness
concerning &. statement by lieutenant
of the Spanish navy, printed by the Navy,