The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-06


turn Damn the Texas" This remark.
Mr.. Hanna said. showed lack of inter
est in another ship of the fleet
Mr. Hanna concluded his speech at 2:25
p. M. having spoken about four and a
half hours.
Captain Parker, junior counsel for Ad-
miral Schley, then began his address in
support of Admiral Schley. He stood at
Counsefs table and spoke in clear and
distinct tones II doubt, said he, ''if the
Naval History of the World presents or
ever has presented a case of the import
ance and character of that in which we
have so long been engaged / doubt il
a tribunal more exalted in the character
of the persons who compose it has ever
sat in Judgment upon a brother officer.
/ doubt ii an officer. with the life long
character and standing and conduct that
Admiral Schley has always displayed,
was ever called upon before to ask an in
vestgation of his conduct as victorious
commander OF q feet"
There is no accuser here" he said,
nobody is on trial, and yet the case has
been conducted as though Commodore
Schley were on trial. We get it," he
went on. lin the order of the argument
now being made here. So that we are
compelled TO consider the inquiry as
trial"
Taking up the events of the campaign
in their sequence, Captain Parker spoke
of the interview between Admiral Samp-
son and Commodore Schley at Key West,
pointing out that Schley was not then in
formed that the Spanish fleet had left
Curacao, Notwithstanding Sampson had
been in possession for three or four DAYS.
Speaking of The cruise to Cienfuegos,
Captain Parker said it was inconsistent
to criticise Admiral Schley for stopping
to take Captain Chester on board while
at the same time criticising him for not
calling Captain McCalla aboardy I'VE
can't" he said, blow hot and cold in the
same breath. The truth is there was no
real delay in the voyage"
As for the Cienfuegos blockade, he held
that it was sufficient that no vessel had
gone in or come out without permission.
Moreover the Admiral had taken all steps
possible to ascertain whether the enemy
was there.
To send ashore in an enemy's country
TO find out whether the enemy was, would
nave been fool hardy, and if the Commo-
dore had sent a boat ashore and lost II
ne would have been Justly censured for
so DOING said he.
Il contend that up to this time. so far
as the blockade is concerned, so far as
his conduct there is concerned there is
absolutely nothing shown by the testi-
mony in this case from which the slight
est suspicion of fault can be placed upon
Commodore Schley.', ,f VI
Replying TO the claim that Conarnodore
Schley did ;.ot obey orders in falling to
prevent work upon new fortiflcations
at Cienfuegos, Captain Parker said that
not particle of evidence had been intro
troduced to show that any was beine
done on the Notifications.
The court will agree with me, / think.
IN my statement that conlmander-in
chief is gifted with some discretion.
that ne is entitled to exercise it and it
is mis- duty 20 exercise it, said Captain
Parker.
Captain Parked contended that both
the Dear Schley letter and No. 3 had
been sent at later date than had been
suggested 5g the naval officials. Samn-
son had, h9 said, instructed Schley to
remain at Cienfuegos, twithstanding
the departments advice to proceed to
Santiago and IN No. discretion had
plainly been given to Schley.
Suppose" he said ''he had gone off
and i had beer found that the Span
iards were thert. he would have been
condemned end Justly, and in case of a
court martial learned friends here
would have thundreded against him.
say that no crit cism is deserved for the
Commodore conduct at Cienfuegos."
This closed the discussion of the Glen
fuegos blockade and Captain Parker
contended shat he had then acted wisely
showing that the distance allowed him
was well placed. AS for himself he
cared nothing for the gossip of the ward
rooms or the talk of the young officers
Their talk pales into insignificance.
he said "5eside the achievements of
Admira lSehley, whose name will con-
time to shine brighter and brighter
every day
He commended Schley's conduct of
the cruise 10 Santiago He had, said
the speaker, acted according to the dis
tates of his best judgment-a Judgment
which the Captain said was better than
that of less experienced officers, an ex-
perience waich had been gained in com
mand under circumstances OF every
nature in the Arctic, around both capes.
on every seq and under every SUM- He
was Captain Parker continued ''as
likely to be correct as those young Off
GERS who for the first time in their lives
were given command of a small boat"
In the absence of information by the
captains of The Yale and the Minneapo-
lis, Captain Parker held that Admiral
Schley had right to suppose that Cap
tain Sigsbee had given all the informa-
tion 70 be rad from the scouts.
He said tliat with the information
given Admiral Schley had acted wisely
in tuning back to Key West "Wheth-
er he actel wisely and his Judgment was
Continued on Fifth Page.)