Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-16

| hperately at the Colon. After our fire
She began to waver in toward tn.
shore. Her course was unsettled ana
the commodore said he thought she HAD
enough of it and was looking for a soft
spot to lie upon. which proved to be
me case. She fired occasionally at us
| rather rapidly At first. and then i,
came weaker. She was close into shor.
at that time and at lis hauled down
| her flag
When Mr.. Sears had concluded his
description of the battle. Mr.. iiayner
asked him if Commodore Schlev had
| given him a dispatch to be sent to the
navy department making a report of
/ the battle. The witness replied in the
| affirmative. Admiral Dewey then
asked If this dispatch had been sent.
| ana was informed by Mr.. T:ayner that
1t had not been forwarded to the de-
| partment although it had been taken
10 the cable office. The court decided
! that as the dispatch had not reached
the department it could not appear.
Mr.. Rayner then asked as to the dis
| tance between the Brooklyn and the
! Texas when the former made her turn
The witness replied that he had only
given sufficient attention to see that
there was no danger of collision be
tween the two vessels.
In reply to a question, Commander
Sears said he had been with Commo-
dore Schley in five engagements all
told. He was then asked as to the
/ bearing of that officer under fire and
, replied:
His bearing To me was a model for
anybody. worthy of emulation at all
times. Under fire his faculties. if it
was possible seemed to be clearer and
he seemed more in possession of them
! than at any other time
Was he in any state of excitement? '
Not the slightest"
Was he cool and calm?"
Absolutely"
How about points Of danger. would
he get away from them or did he eX-
pose himself TO Them
Judge Advocate Lemly conducted the
/ cross examination Of the witness.
Asked about the range given for the
firing of the American guns on May 81.
Mr.. Sears said he had given ii at 1000
wards Under direction of Commodore
Schley. Asked if he had any CONVEX
Saton with Commodore Schley con
corning that range he replied in the
negative.
Did you not state otherwise in the
ward room of the Massachusetts? Mr..
Lemly asked.
Il have no recollection of stating
anything else" replied the witness.
In reply to further questions the wit
ness said that while no conclusion
could be reached from the signal fires
on shore at Santiago. July ,. that the
Spanish fleet was preparing to escape.
vet the situation was 50 tense that
Commodore Schley felt something un-
usual W as going to occur. The court
then took recess for luncheon.
The afternoon session began with tho
recall of Capt. Francis A. Cook for the
purpose OF correcting the testimony
given by him. yesterday. Judge Adj
vocate Lemly asked:
What conversation. if any. did you
have with Commodore Schley about the
rctrograde movement either before OF
after the signals We're made and the
order given on May rs to return to Key
West -"
LAS near as ! recolleCt the CirCum-
stances there was conversation, after
the message had been brought to me
that signal had been made Bound for
Key West by Yucatan channel. | did
not understand the signal and do not
recolleCt that at that time anything
had been sent about that. | went in
to see the commodore about it. ! asked
him what tine signal meant and he said
that he must coal the ships. That he
must seek some place to coal them ana
that he was going toward Key West
until he could find an opportunity to
coal from the collier and if he did not
find that he must be near a coal base
TO keen the. ships coalcd. | mad" some
remark con, erning the weather c0ndi-
tons. tnat!I thought they would be
more favorable later. He said: Until
from the collier. | must keep within
striking distance OF coal | said that
| recognized that he felt the RESPONSE
blity as no one else could ana that IL
was a serious question. He answered
that he recognized that fact but that
he must act in accordance with his
Judgment. whether right or wrong;
that personal consideration was Of no
account when the safety of the fleet
was to be considered. That was all
recollcct."
Was ANYTHING further said at any
other time on this subject between you
and the commodore
Not except what I have stated in
regard to the fact of having gotten
coal aboard the Texas"
Can you state whether this CONVEX
sation took place before or after the