The Van Buren press., 1901-11-02
STILL PUMPING SCH.H.
Rear-Admiral Schley Puts in His
Fifth Day as Witness at
the Court of inquiry.
MUCH OLD STRAW WAS TARESHED OVER.
Coming Up to the Battle of July 3,
the Judge Advocate Seemed De-
sirOus of Establishing That the
Victory Had Not Been Won Ac-
cOrding to PrecOnceiyed Plans.

opening u lnt DtHlty court VI IN
quiry Wednesday, Admiral Schley be-
gan the fifth day of his testimony
and the third day of his cross-exam-
nation. Judge Lemly still had long
list of typewriter questions before
him, and the different members of
the court have been industriousy
preparing questions to be presented
to the admiral for his consideration
when his examination by counsel is
concluded. The testimony began
where it left off Tuesday, taking up
different phases of the blockade OF
Santiago, and passing from that
question into the reconnaissance of
May 81, when the Spanish cruiser
Crstobal Colon was bombarded. The
battle of July was left for the last
subject to be considered, preceding it
with one or two incidental questions
about the circumstances of the even
ing of July 2.
On July 2, when the suspicious
movements were seen in the horbor of
Santiago, the witness said, he talked
with Capt. Cook of the ACCESSIBILITY
of coupling up the engines. 1t was
decided not to do so. He supposed
the ship was always ready for sor-
tie. Admiral Schley's attention was
called to Capt Cooks testimony that
on the night of July 2 he turned in
with no intimation that the fleet
would come out. The witness said
that Capt. Cooks statement was not
In any sense consistent with his. lie
had no intimation that the fleet
would come out.
The cross-examination of Admiral
Schley on the battle of Santiago be-
gan with a question as TO what the
first movement of the Brooklyn's
helm was after the enemy's ships
were sighted coming out.
"We were heading west by north
he replied. "The first helm was to
port"
Capt Cook gave the order for the
turn"
eyes"
"You regard that turn as very i'm
portant, do you not|
81 think IL was the movement that
decided the events Of that day. fhe
admiral said in response to questions
that he had not mentioned the loop
In his report of the battle. 1t was an
incident OF the battle which he had
no idea ever would come into contro-
versy. Capt. Cook had given the Or
der without orders from him except
under his general instructions to close
In and keep somewhere about 1000
yards away outside OF the broadside
torpedo range. When the time came
for the turn Capt. Cooks conception
Of the movement conceded with his
own. Although Capt. Cook gave the
order, he would have done so In n
moment had the captain OF the Brook
Ign failed TO do so.
"Do you assume full responsibility
for the turnP'
absolutely. II did not give the
order | approved it, replied the nd
miral.
Asked where he had, heretofore, be-
fore the beginning of this inquiry,
mentioned that he had during the bat
Tie given the signal "Follow the flag,
Admiral Sch'ey replied; ~ think /
have kept my mouth pretty close on
oil these subjects, and do not recall
speaking OF this incident. | distinct
ly recolcct giving the signal and that
II was flying for 20 minutes"
ibid the Brooklyn stand In and Mt
tempt to sink the Spanish fleet In the
chnnncl?"
81 started In ut first TO help the
other vessels and TO have them help
me. | felt II we could stop the Span
iards the battleships could go In and
sink them. never had any idea that
they would get away"
Continuing, he said, In reply to
questions, he estimated that the
Brooklyn had gone In to within from
mile TO mile and half OF the
mouth OF the hnrbor, and was within
range Of the shore batteries. He
thought that for from IA to 20 min
utes the flag had been within range
OF less than 1000 yards from the
Spanish ships. "They looked very
close" he said.
"When the Spanish ships succeeded
IN getting out OF the hnrbor without
being sunk, In accordance with orders,
what alternative was there but TO
chnse thcmP"
"Thcre wns no alternative; no
other course open, but oll depended
on the character of the chase
Whether II was made In the proper
way and was effective was one thing,
while poor-conductcd md inof'
fcctivc blockade would have been an
other thing"
The admiral sald In reply to ques'
lions that while several of the yes
sells had failed to join In the chase
leaving the work, after the sinking
of the Teresa and the Oquendo to
The Brooklyn, and the Oregon, TINS
= was because they could not follow a'
The pace set by the spanlard'"
At this point Capt, Lemly intro
0uccd the following paragraph from
Admiral schleys report OF the n"s'
lie, dnted at Guantanamo, july v
1903, "Slncc rcachlng this place nno
holding oonycrsution with sovera