The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-11
DISPATCH FROM McCALLA
It Said the Spanish Fleet Was Not at
Cienfuegos.
THIS NEVER REACHED ITS DESTINATION
According to Statements Of Witnesses Charts It
Battle Are Scarcely Worth the Papr
They Are Drawn On, All
Qo:nr 1rro,r1~t
Being Incorrect.
(By the Associated Press.)


Washington, Oct. l0.-Just before the
Schley cont Of inquiry adjourned to-
day Judge Advocate Lemly introduced
Lieut. j. H. Holden, formerly watch
officer. on the Scorpion, as witness.
ieut. Holden signed the entry in the
Scorpions log, giving the particulars OF
the receipt of message for Commodore
s;chley from the Eagle, which that ves-
se, hal brought from Capt. McCalla on
May 70 1855. when the Flying Squadron,
then bound for Cienfuegos, fell in With
Capt. McCalla's squadron, which
had just left that port The govern
inent had sought to show that by this
nessag. Commodore Schley had been
notified that the Spanish fleet was not
N the harbor of Cienfuegos, and Lieut..
Commander Southerland of the Eagle,
had testified that he had megaphoned to
the Scorpion that there was only a tor
pedo boat and several cannoneros in
that harbor. Capt. Lemly told the court
today that the log of the Scorpion did
not show the receipt of the message in
this form and that there was no evil
sage to Commodore Schley.
Other witnesses of the day were Lieut.
Commander w. II. Schuetze, who
served on the Iowa, and Lieut.. A. w.
Grant, who was on the Massachusetts,
who testified concerning the general
campaign of the Flying Squadron Lieut.
Edward F. Leiper concluded his testi-
lnony egnn yesterday.
Capt. Lemly asked him concerning the
blockade of Santiago by Commodore
Schley. The witness said the vessels
were lying in column from six to eight
miles OFF shore. At night they steamed
slowly hack In forth in front Of the har-
Dor 500 yards apart. They were so far
out, the witness said, that 1t was inn
possible TO distinguish points on the
shore or to determine where the shore
Ire mct the water line
Mr.. HayDor called attention to the
fact that The log Of the New Orleans
places the distance of that vessel from
the MORO at four and half miles. and
the witness said this was true.
Lieut.. Commander VIM II. Scheutze,
'Iho was member Of the board OF navi-
gators which prepared the official chart
cf the position of the vessels engaged
IN the LATHE of July 3, said he had not
been satisfied with the report.
Il protested he said, against sign
ing the report as being inaccurate. but
was finally persuaded to do SO by the
senior member of the board, Command
cr Wainwright, who thought that was
the best we could do, even If we STAYED
there until doonsday. and / signed It
under protest. My first objection was
that the chart was inaccurate. That
the position of the Iowa as plotted on his
chart gave her too much speed Another
objection ! had was the initial position
OF the Brooklyn when the Spaniards
brst left the harbor. / contended that
the Broolxlyn's position was too close to
the mouth Of the harbor; that she was
not in her regular position. She was
south Of it,
Captain Lemly: Il want you to state
whether you saw the Texas?"
When ! first saw the Texas she was
heading to the eastward or north. Soon
aIterward | noticed her again and she
was headed to the westward and appar-
emily lying dead In the water. / called
Captain Evans attention to the fact that
she was In our way; that she was lying
dead in the water, and cautioned tha
Captain that we would probably run into
her II We kept on the way we were head
Ing. She was then on our port bow. We
were trying TO get close into the harbor
and steamed at first directly for the mouth
OF the harbor AS the Spaniards turned
to the westward we turned in the same
direction and in this manoeuvre we were
hindered by the Texas"
On cross-examination Mr. Rayner oues
toned the witness in reference to the Of
fetal chart
why did not you state this chart is
wrong and / won't sign it?"
II did"
Then why did you sign?'
Because | was persuaded by the other
members of the board that that was the
best we could do and they wanted to come
to an agreement. That was a compro-
mise"
Then really this chart was signed for
the purpose OF coming to an agreement.
and not for the purpose OF showing any
accurate results was it?''
THE board was ordered to show accu-
rate results but 1t was an absolute impos-
sihility TO make 4 chart of that kind
showing accurate results. There never
was a chart drawn of any battle that is
correct
When the court re-convened after
luncheon Lieutenant Commander Schuetze
said he had seen no evidence OF dis
position on the part of any of Ceryera'g