The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-29

ed his direct testimony and the judge
advocate then began the cross-examl-
nation.
He was asked first about the consul
tation with the commanders at Hamp-
ton Roads before the Flying Squadron
sailed to the southwark. In reply Ad-
miral Sehley said that Capts. Higgin-
son, Jewell Sands, Cook and Mark
were present. He explained that they
had discussed the order of battle in
case the Spanish fleet was met, and
also the question of place below the
war heads of the over water torpedoes.
Was there any other consultation
with the captains?"
Yes, off Santiago. for the purpose
of explaining the formation of the
blockade and the method of attack in
case we met the Spanish feet.
Was there any prescribed order of
battle in writing?"
Il did not consider it necessary. We
would fight the ships by signal.
The judge advocate then questioned
Admiral Schley as t the conference in
the cabin Of The New York ut Key
West, when ne talked over the cam
paign with Admiral Sampson.
Did Admiral Sampson exhibit to you
any or all the instructions he had from
the Navy Department?
NO. He simply spoke of his conf
Dental instructions from the Secretary
of the Navy"
Lemly Makes n Jump.
Capt. Lemly then Jumped to the COM
munication from the Marblehead con-
Yeyed to Admiral Schley through the
Eagle while the Flying Squadron was
on its way to Cienfuegos. The admiral
said that the message he received was
that there was no news of the Spanish
fleet. The judge advocate then asked
Admiral Schley if he regarded as ex-
peditious the journey of the squadron
from Key West to Cienfuegos in view
of the instruction to establish the
blockade there with as little delay as
possible.
Cruising, as he was. in squadron
against a current, Admiral Schley re-
piled that he did.
Capt. Lemly then asked about the
speed from Charleston to Key West in
an effort to show that the speed from
Key West southwark was not so great.
Your speed was two knots less from
Key West to Cienfuegos than from
Charleston to Key West?"
Apparently
"Why did YOU stop at midnight May
Il, before your arrival at Cienfuegos ~
I'VE were ten or twelve miles from
the hight in the land where the mouth
of the harbor of Cienfuegos was and
we stopped until daylight. l did not
care to arrive there in the dark
Admiral Schley was asked why ne
did not personally communicate with
Capt. McCalla when he met the
Marblehead on the way down. He re-
piled that he saw the auxiliary coming
down from the Marblehead to COM
municate with him. 1t was Capt. Nc
Calais duty if he possessed important
information to communicate 1t.
What official information and in
structions did you get at Key West
from the commander in-chief?" asked
Capt. Lemly.
! "His orders of course to proceed and
the conversation l have detailed with
him.
Capt Lemly then took up the ques-
ton of naval regulations and asked the
witness If he was familiar with them.
"Yes," responded Admiral Schley.
LemIy Reads Regulations.
Capt. Lemly then read a number of
articles of the regulations, in each case
asking Admiral Schley If he had COM
Piled with the terms of the paragraph.
The first paragraph was No. 267 and
requires the commanderin-ch when
preparing his fleet or squadron to meet
the enemy to communicate his general
orders. instructions. private signals
and such other Information as will en-
able each so far as possible to under
stand his duty in action, and at all
other times.
Il think / complied with that" re.
piled the admiral.
How and in what manner?" asked
Capt. Lemly.
by issuing general orders for the or
ganization of the squadron, their in
structions and their private signals"
The next article was as follows:
article 269. He SHALL If possible,
before going into action, communicate
to the juniors in his command, his chief
of staff and the captains, his secret
orders, private signals and other in
formation that will materially assist
them If called upon to exercise COM
mand."
THAT do 1 not remember to have
complied with said the admiral.
Capt. Lenly then read Article 271,
which provides that the commander
in-chief shall, If possible, before going
into action. supply every captain with
a plan of battle, showing thereon the
position each shall occupy.
Yes" replied the admiral as to Capt.
Lemly's question If he had complied
with that article. Il do not understand
that that is necessarily written. ]
think that that order is sufficiently
carried out when a commander-in-
chief decides to place his crews in the
order of battle and informs each what
he proposes to do"
do you think, Admiral, that you can
supply every captain with plan of
battle, and do that at an oral confer
ence?" asked Capt. Lemly.
II do not think that is absolutely
necessary" replied the admiral. There
are instances where battles have been
fought without doing that. Any plan
Of battle that might be originated Is
subject to change. have never known
a battle that was ever fought on the
plan originally chosen"
Capt Lemly asked:
when at 9:45 a. M. May 20, you
sighted a man-of-war, as shown by
the Brooklyn's log, and cleared for ac-
ton, what orders had been issued in
conformity with the provisions of the
regulations"
II should not think any instructions
would be necessary for a fleet meeting
a single vessel except to smash her
uo."
MIR. Rayner Instructs Lemly.
At this point Mr.. Rayner, address,
ing himself to Capt. Lemly, said he
did not want to object to this line of
questioning, but that there was no
specification which called for 1t. II
wish to submit to the Judge advocate
as well as to the court" Mr.. Rayner
said, "that here is section
OF the naval regulations which
says. He shall, If possible. before
going into action, supply every cap
tain with a plan Of battle, and assign