Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-09
On IB[ RETIRED LIST
Admiral Schley Formally Placed
q Retired List Of the Navy
Today.
Retirement in Accordance With
Law. he Having Reached Age
8 Of 62.
Ten Admiral Taylor on Witness
Stand Before the schley
Court.

K washington, Oct. g.-Notwlthstandlng
& Admiral schley was today placed on the
y retired list OF the navy. he was In his
+ accustomed seat at the court OF in
Il au1ry and gave his usual attention to
+ xhe proceedings OF the court. The re-
xirementy OF schley is in accordance with
\ law, he having reached the age OF o.
Formal proceedings OF the day began.
with the re-irtroduction of Lieut. Bris-
4ol, formerly watch officer on the Texas
i Is witness. Rayner began the examin-
& alton With questions concerning the ac-
curacy Of the stadimeter for measure
4 ment OF distances at sea. Bristoi saio
he had taken several observations WITH
the stadimeter just before the Spanish
fieet came out of the harbor anu mad
checked these with the sextant. he
Found the distance from Morro 0,l0U
yards. Bristol was questioned concern
the distance out OF the blockading ships
af Cienfuegos. but declined to change
his estimate OF yesterday, that II was
from eight to ten miles distant from
The harbor, Notwithstanding schley's
report stated the line OF blockade es-
tAblished was about four miles OF shore.
81 have to stand by my statement.
{ Speaking OF the weather during the
/. cruise OF the flying squadron from Glen
fueeos to Santiago witness said there
were fresh breezes and a moderate sea,
: but ! small boat could have been low
cred 1t any time during the voyage.
Rayner also interrogated Bristol con-
cerning the estimate, made soon after
the arrival Of the feet on Santiago,
that the Spanish shore batteries
amounted to but little. He had said
yesterday the elevation of there batter
aes was from $50 to 200 feet. Rayner pro-
duced q chart to show the batteries OF
N slEorro were 220 and $50 feet above the
water line. Witness said he had not
seen the chart when he prepared his
statement, which he still stood by.
Asked whether there had been any
menace to any of the American ships
sJaly from the shore batteries Bristol
replied that there was danger to the
Gloucester, because that vessel was un-
armored, but he did not consider the
! New York in danger. Rayner real from
the report by Secretary Long, saying
on that day the New York had sustain
ed the undivided fre of the shore bat
teriee
DO you still say. in view of that
etatement, that the shore batteries did
not amount to anything %
You asked my opinion" the witness
replied, Il have given 1t to you. =
X. Dewey-We don't, want opinions
Bristol was then excused.
Rear Admiral Taylor was called. He
stated when the battle of Santiago,
July 8. began, the Indiana. Of which he
was In command, had occupied the
easternmoat post on the line Of block
ade, having taken the place of the flag
ship New York when 1t left for Siboney.
n reply to question from the judge
advocate as to whether he had observed
the position Of the Brooklyn at the time
of the beginning Of the battle, witness
.Gaid:
.Just before the beginning Of the bat-
Gle did. and on two occasions thereaf-
ter. When the battle had been on about
ten or fifteen minutes my attention was
attracted to the Brooklyn by my signal
1 omcer. He said to me that the Brooklyn
must be injured, or words to that eff
tect. as she was dropping out OF action.
u observed the Brooklyn heading appar-
\ a1ntly about south or of shore. She was
then on my port bow, half a mile, per-
I 3AApe. ahead OF me, and at that time q
quarter at mile outside the line OF our
column. She was not turning.
.sThe Texas. apparently, was lying still
i IN the water. did not see whether she
was backing or not. the distance be-
tween those two ships being impossible
y1Ny fy1I
asline for me to Judge the distance be-
tween them. I simply observed there
WAS q bunch OF ships ahead of me. Not
more than a few minutes later my at
tention was again turned to the Brook
lyn. She had then proceeded q distance
OF not over two miles, not under a mile
from the time had seen her first. and
the second time saw her, as near as
could figure out, one and half miles to
saeaward OF our column Of battle. Imme-
Hciately afterwards she passed into the
thick OF the smoke which was lying in
patches about. I took no further notice
4 OF her. On these two occasions, however.
my recollection is very plain and the
distance very near to what stated"
.sDid you see Cervera's vessels when
they came out of Santiago harbor?"
- Yes
what direction did they take first,
and after getting out how far outside of
Nhe mouth OF the harbor were they
when they changed their course?"
Their change appeared to be gradual,
porting their helms as they cleared the
mouth Of the harbor and proceeding.
perhaps. with changes OF the course OF
one or two points at time. until they
were IN a line parallel with the shore.
did you observe whether there was
any attempt on the part of any of these
vessels to ram any of the vessels of the
American squadron?"
II observed there was no such at
tempt.
When the Judge advocate concluded
his interrogatories Rayner began cross
examination with an effort to introduce
certain signals which had passed be-
tween the Indiana and Sampson's flag |
chip New York in the early morning of
July 8.
Lemley made immediate objection and
Rayner presented an earnest plea to be |
allowed to read the signals. He was not
permitted ct the time to do SO, but It isl