The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-25
ScALEy ON THE STAND Called Early Yesterday A. ternoon to Testify in His
 Own Behalf.
BIG AUDIENCE TO HEAR HIM
SCORES OFMEN AND WOMEN STAND
 UPONIABLES.


 Details of tho cCampaign-The Genera
 Principle of His Plan of Battie-T'
 Attack tho Head of the Enemy's squad
 Older Plans Efficiency In Targe
 Practice His Interview With samp
 son-The Latter Seemed Worn-IIi
 Declaration of Realty.
 Washington, Oct 24.--Admiral SchleS to-day took the stand in his own be- half at the court of inquiry which is Investigating his conduct as command er-in-chief of the flying squadron dur - ing the Santiago campaign. He was summoned few minutes after the court convened at o'clock for the af- ternoon session and when court ad- iourned at o'clock he apparently had only gotten well under way in his tes- timony
 Captain Charles F. Clark of the Ore gon had just concluded his statement when Mr. Rayner, rising from his seat said: q should like to have Rear Ad- miral Schley called" and the admiral accordingly was asked to take the stand
 MT. Rayner introduced the testimony of his distinguished witness by saying: twill you give the court your name and rank?"
 Winfield Scott Schley. rear admiral, United States navy. retired, at present on service in this court of inquiry"
 The admiral then in answer to question from his counsel proceeded to give a careful and detailed narrative of all the events of the campaign up to the battle of Santiago. He had not reached the stage of his testimony where he will tell of the battle, wken the court adjourned for the day.
 The audience which listened to his recital was by far the largest which has yet gathered in the gunners' workshop where the court sits. All the reserved seats were occucied as were the seats set apart for the public at large In the rear of the room stood probably as many people as found seats scores ot men and women standing upon tables. chairs and windows, in fact, anywhere from where they could see the court.
 There was no appearance of demon stration of any kind during the ad- miraps recital On the contrary the si- lence was almost unbroken except for the sound of the witness own voice. Only once was there stir In the room which indicated any feeling on the part of the listeners. That was when the admiral, detailing his conversation with Admiral Sampson in the cabin of the New York at Key West. told how he had assured the commander-in-c chief of fealty to him. When the court ad- journed for the day many of the spec tators pressed forward and shook the admirals hand.
 'T was commodore" the witness began in resnonse to MT. Rayner's re- quest for connected narrative Of the campaign "and was ordered to com mand the flying squadron on the 18th of March, 1898, and served until the goth day of June of the same year in that capacity"
 He had taken command of the squad ron at Hampton Roads, Va. hoisting his flag on the cruiser Brooklyn. After relating the organization of the squad ron at the Virginia port he said that lie had called the commanding officers of the vessels constituting that squad ron together and then he added: "Tha plan of campaign was threshed out I put the squadron immediately upon 8 war footing, and established pickars and patrols and also the masking of lights.'
 Admiral Sct'ey plunged immediately into the campaign by outlining at this point the plan which he had indicated to his commanding officers before leav- ing Hampton Roads, saying: During this time I explained to all the commanding officers that as 1t would be impossible to contrive plan of battle that would meet unforeseen contingencies. the general plan of the | snuadron would be to cruise in line Of battle and it's general principle would | he to attack the head and leading yes sel. concentrating the fire upon them in | order. first to obtain the moral effect ! and second to throw into confusion, | making victory over them probably | very much moro successful and com l nlete. did that for the reason that | inc older plans of battle had all been | tO attack CenCeFS anu rear, TeSulliHB III | the escape usually of part Of each | squadron. I felt that the attack of the head squadron, which was to some ex- tent new. would involve the destruc- ' tion of the whole and that was the gen. eral plan of action as explained to them on that occasion"
 The admiral then detailed target prac- +ica the squadron indulged in daily, say ing that no day was bad enough to pre- vent it's continuance. Sub-calibre was used entirely. This practice, said the admiral. resulted in an accuracy of fire which was fully demonstrated in the a ction six weeks or two months later. He also said that the squadron was ,,ent in readiness so far as coal water and supplies were concerned. On May 12 or 13 he received orders from the sec retarv of the navy to proceed to S. c. The squadron arriv- ed there on the 18th and found orders |