New-York tribune., 1901-10-26
THE MORNING SESSION.
ADMIRAL sCHLEY BRINGS HIS MARIA
TIVE UP TO THE BATTLE
OF SANTIAGO
Ry The Associated Press.l

(By The Associated Press)
Washington. Oct 2j.-When Admiral Schley
resumed his story in the naval court of inquiry
this morning. he said that. with the courts per-
mission. he would go back to Clenfuegos. in
order that his narrative might be clear. Re-
garding the McCalla memorandum. he said he
received only copy. If there had been an
other it should be in the papers which were re-
turned to the Navy Department in January or
February, 1899 He had not bombarded the
earthworks of Cienfuegos because ne was con-
vinced that such bombardment would be I'M
availing. Later experience in the war. he
thought, bore out this opinion.
Admiral Schley proceeding TO say that
Dispatch No. 10, concerning which Lieutenant
Marsh had testified Ghe dispatch containing
positive information that the Spanish feet was
in Santiago. was not received by him until
June 10 when the Judge Advocate objected.
Captain Lemly-If the court please. regret
very much TO be compelled TO make objection to
this character of testimony, but / understand
from the court itself that it wants facts
Admiral Schey-Well. these are facts.
Captain Lemly-I do not understand this wit
ness is here for the purpose of making argu-
ment. and 1 do not think this character of testi-
mony from witness. even on the stand in his
own behalf Is matter of testimony
Mr.. Rayner contended that Admiral Schley
was not giving opinions: he was simply testify
ing to facts within his knowledge. After some
further sparring the members of the court held
brief consultation without leaving the room.
and Admiral Dewey announced it's decision as
follows:
The court is Of the opinion that ii is eminently
proper for the witness TO make the statement
that the dispatch was dated May 81. and not
received until June 10, then drop IL; just give
the facts.
To this Admiral Schley replied that this was
all that he had intended to do. Thirteen days
had elapsed before he received the dispatch.
LOCATING THE SPANISH SHIPS
Proceeding, Admiral Schley testified that he
believed Captain Cotton's statement regarding
the offer OF Lieutenant Field to go ashore at
Santiago to learn positively whether the Span
ish fleet was in Santiago was somewhat faulty
and ne detailed some facts relating to Fields
offer which fixed his Impression of il in his
mind. On May 81. after the bombardment of
the Colon and after Captain Cotton had gone
TO Mole st. Nicholas with report to the depart
ment on that subject. Admiral Schley testified
that he sent Nunez the pilot westward to com
municate with the insurgents. Nunez landed
near Asceraderos, fifteen or sixteen miles west
Of Santiago. and. joining some of the Cuban in
surgents, went into the interior. He returned
on June l or with detailed information of the
location of the Spanish ships in the harbor.
Il sent him." added Admiral Schley, 'to the
Commander-in-Chiefw with that information"
THE RETRoGRADE MOVEMENT.
The witness then returned to the retrograde
movement, saying:
Touching the question Of the retrorrade move
ment after the Merrimac had broken down. the
movement was not made TO the westward until
toward o'clock. the Yale having had consider
able difficulty In getting a hawser to her That
hawser parted about IL o'clock that night when
was signaled by Captain Wise of the Yale.
"a Ea four hon. go
steel hawser. The ship at that time was alb
solutely unmanageable. She was not capable
OF turning propeller. do not think we got
under way again until o'clock in the afternoon
of the 9th. and not long after she was taken in
tow. steaming 10 the westward. We went a
little further than had intended on account of
the difficulty in getting the Yale to read our
Ardois signals We were obliged to go four or
five miles further on that account. As soon as
the sea calmed down-and in my Judgment IL
was not possible to have cOaIed. as l said
yesterday; that was one Of the conditions which
/ watched especially and was better Judge Of
that than any other officer of the fleet. because
was more interested in it-I signaled 20 Cap
tain Philip asking him IL he could coal and
think his signal indicates precisely that he was
uneasy about IL. for he signalled back to me- Il
try" The impression left upon my mind
was that at that time even he uncertain.
Continuing. he said that even as late as the
following morning Philip had signalled that
both the Texas and the Merrimac had sprung
leak. He also referred to the extreme heat.
saying IT was so great that the men were ex-
hausted. and the doctors had recommended that
on this account coaling operations be sus-
pended.
CONSIDERED ORDER NOT MANDATORY.
Here Admiral Schley brought his narrative up
TO Santiago. and said that he had regarded the
order of the department concerning the probable
presence of the Spanish feet at Santiago as
more of a suggestion than a mandatory order.
He considered that 1t would take only a little
while to get back in any event He repeated
that the proper military manoeuvre would be
10 proceed westward toward the bases at IIa-
and Key West He had arrived with the
squadron off Santiago at about 4 p. m. May
20. he said. and had then taken up his position
five six miles out afterward holding the fleet
in formation day and night. He had on that
first night sent the Marblehead closer in, with
instructions to keep close watch on the mouth
of the harbor. That night he noticed the sig
nails on the shore. known "blinkers." and
also observed at that time lights lower
plane. which he had since become convinced
were from the Colon. lying in the harbor. The
next day he discovered the presence of that
Spanish vessel there. and also that OF others OF
the enemy's vessels. When he had thus
secured irrefutable proof of the fact that the
vessels there. and told Captain Sigsbee of
the fact, that officer expressed surprise. IL was
at this period that he sent his dispatch TO the
department giving absolute information of the
presence of the Spaniards, and Sigsbee had car
ried this message to Mole St. Nicholas.
THE BLOCKADE OF SANTIAGO.
Mr.. Rayner-After sending that dispatch
what did you do then?
Admiral Schley-After sending that dispatch
the squadron maintained its position in block
ade of the harbor and the formation of the fleet