The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-09-21
STORIES told BY
NAVAL OFFICERS.
According to Two Wit.
nesses Schley Made No
Attempt to Answer
Signals From Gu
bans on Shore.

| Washington, Sept. 20.-Admira
Higginson, commander-in.cbief OIL
the North Atlantic Squadron, testi
lied before the Naval Court of lnqui
ry today that he had as captain com
manded the battleship Massachusetts
during the Spanish war aud that fol
a time the Massachusetts had been q
part of the "Flying Squadron o.
which Admiral SchIey had been ir
command.
"What was then done to secure
communication with the Cuban forces
on shore?" Captain Lemly asked.
"Nothing to my knowledge, the
witness replied. II did not see that
any thing was done, but l understand
that information' concerning the Gu
bans was received through Captain
McCalla,' Admiral lIiggInson said,
in response to questions that this
was later.
He also told, in reply to questions,
Of the presence of the collier Merri.
mac and of the departure from Clen.
fucgoS and the arrival at Santiago in
the evening OF the Goth. In reply to
questions, he said that the Massachu-
sets had at that time taken on about
1870 tons Of coal, but that as the
weather was rough this was done
with difficulty.
The witness also told OF the fleets
leaving Santiago for Key West on
the night of its arrival at the former
place and Of how, after steaming
westward for some time, the vessels
in res ponse to Commodore Schley's
signals, returned and steamed to
within two or three miles Of the
mouth of the harbor.
"What happened to cause the de-
cIsion to return to key West?" the
witness was asked.
II don't KNOW" was the reply.
"What was the condition Of the
weather at the time foI cOaing at
sea?'
ut was not impossible to coal, l
Think
Speaking of the conditions when
Santiago harbor was again reached
the Admiral said that he could see
we'll into the harbor and that he saw
the Spanish ship Colon lying in the
outer harbor. He did not remember
seeing other vessels, but the Colon
was then 1000 yards beyond Moro
Castle.
The vessel had lain there until she
was fired upon, which was done on
MAY 81 and had then retired.
Describing this engagement Admi.
raj Higginson said it was on the day
before the arrival Of rein!orcements
under Admiral Sampson. lie, said
that Admiral Schley had come aboard
and said that he wanted "to 60 in
and fire on the Colon
$50 we went in and fired on her.
continued the witness. He said the
shots fell short of the Colon and that
the Spanish shore batteries had in
turn fired at the bombarding ships
In reply to questions as TO what had
been accomplished by the bomhard-
ment, tho witness replied that it had
served to draw the fire of the Spanish
shore battery and to give all idea Of.
what it was composed Of.
"What idea did you get Of itscom-
pcsition?"
II didn't think 1t amounted to
any thing
"Where was Admiral Schley dur.
ing the bombardment?"
"At one time be was with me in
the coming tower, but most OF the
time he was on the outside Of 1t. |
was near him most of the time
"Describe the Admiral's manner
in this engagement.
'Ihardly know how to answer that
question except to say that bis man.
ner was that of commander.in.
chief"
The Judge Advocate then asked,
"What impression did the Admiral's
manner in that engagement make up.
on you?"
Mr.. Raynor, OF counsel for Schley,
objected to this question and after
some contention the question was
withdrawn.
Judge Advocate Lemly stated be.
fore withdrawing the question that
he considered the point as embraced
In the precept and said that while
the task was disagreeable ole, he
considered 1t his duty to press it and
in,imated that he would do so at
another time.
why did you not 60 in and de-
stroy the Colon in the engagement
on May 3l?' Judge Advoc ate Lem.
ly asked the witness.
because we we're not ordered to
do so. replied the witness.
Later on the witness volunteered
the statement, 4 think tho Colon
could have been destroyed where
she lay at anchor that day
After Captain Lemly had con.
cluded his examin alton of Admiral
Higginson the court asked it there
was any place Of shelter near San.
tiago where the flying squadron.
could have coaled after its arrival
at Santiago. Admiral Higginson
replied that Guantanamo was only
forty miles to the east. The next
question was:
WAS e~er5eaort made by Admi
raj Schley to destroy or capture the
Spanish steamer Colon as she lay at
D nchor in the harbor at Santiago be.
tween the 9th and the 3lst Of May?"
'Object," "Object," "Object,
came from each of Admiral Schley s :
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