Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-11-07
FgOm WASHINGTON.
[Oorrsspsr dence OF the Alexandria Gazette
Washineton November z.

Washing ton. November z.
When the Schey court OF inquiry mel
at 2 o'clock this aftei noon, there having
been no morning session, judge advo
cate general OF the navy, Capt. Samue
G. Lemly, began the closing arguments
| In the case, recouDting the testimony IL
the case from the standpoint OF the de-
psrtmeut. Entering then upon Ions
discussion of the trip of the hyiDl
squadron from Key West to Clenfuegos
Captain Lsmly maintained that Admira
| Scbley should have made better tim'
between those points In order to have
carried out the spirit OF the depart
ment's instructions. 10 referring 10 TIT
McCalla signals, Lemly maintained
that it was Incumbent upon Commodore
Schley himself to make some effort t.
obtain them and he was not justified IL
this and other similar matters, notably
of Santiago, 10 relying solely on the
efforts of others. After relating events
81 Cienfuegos, Lemly said: "Tbe COM
modore's orders directed that he pro
coed with all dispatch, but cautiously
to Santiago. He certainly proceeded
slowly" Captain Lemly commended
that the urgency Of the case was sc
great that Admiral Schley would have
been justified IN dropping the Eagle
and, II necessary, the Vixen and the
collier, 10 order to increase the speed Of
mis- SOU adron oD the journey to Santiago
Then followed az exhaustive aDaly'
sis of the coal condition OF the fighting
ships of the squadron, the judge advo'
cate arguiog that there was sufficient
amount of fuel on hand for a blockade
for week with enough in addition to
enable the ships to return to Key Wes
via the Yucatan channel. Regarding
the retrograde movement he said with
great postiveness: Whatever opinion
Captains gsbee or pj o Nuntz may have
given the Commodore as to the presence
of the Spanish squadron Ia the harbol
of Santiago land 1 believe that the cap
| tain never said that the Spanish fee
was not thereiD,) the Commodore was
alone responsible for the movement. Ii
was his duty to scertain TO certainty
whether the Spanish ships were 10 the
harbor, an obligation which no negative
Information OF Captain Sigsbee's could
remove or even modify. And it is in'
conceivable that a positive statement
as to the contour of the hsrbor or the
well.knoWn conformation of Santiago
could have been made by Sigsbee," 81
have never doubted, and the evidence
adduced confirms my view in this re
spect, that the Brooklyn, as a ship
did conspicuous duty 10 this battle. Ga
the other hand, submit that the evil
dence shows that it was captain's fight
and, without dispsrsgement of Commo.
dore Sohley's personal conduct on thai
occasion, that there was no concerted
action OF the vessels engaged as to indi
cate their control by any one person.
All evidently strove to do their utmost,
and thus was accomplished one OF the
erandest naval victories ever won.
In referring to the ch-discussed
loop Capt. Lemly ssid it was tremen.
dous risk and, without adequate justi6.
cation. "Whelher the Brooklyn ran q
mile or a mile and half to the south
ward 10 making this turn, or whether
with her helm hard sport she increased
her distance from the enemy by her
tactical diameter only. the fact remains
that she did turn from. instead of to.
wards, the enemy, Had she been
more imperiled Individually by star
boarding her helm, no injury to her
from the enemy could have equaled
the dire results OF two United States
ships virtually committing suicide"
10 concluding, Capt. Lemly generally
absolved Admiral Schley from all
charges of cowardice saying: From
my knowledge OF the man, having serv-
ed under his command on two cruises,
| have never believed, nor do claim
from the evidence, that personal mis-
conductor to call a spade a spade,
cowardice-wss exhibited by Commo-
dore Schley in any part of his career as
commander 10 chief OF the flying equad-
ron, but l submit with regret that 10
the passage from Key West to CienfuG-
Cos, while at the latter port, en- route to
the southwark OF Santiago without
settled destination, 10 the retrogrsde
movement 10 the return to the vicio.
Ivy VI OduNluSO, dbu III tuC uAaI VI NAY
3lst, the Commodore exhibited un-
steadiDess ia purpose and in push and
failure to obey orders. The character.
iZation OF this conduct is, however, for
the court. trust that l may lie
pArdoned If ] remind you, gentlemen,
that the first importance OF the matters
before il is not as they relate to any
Individual. but as they concern the
naval service. 1, is for you to lay
down q standard OF conduct, to be fol-
lowed 10 future similar cases-a stand.
ard such as that set by our great naval
commanders, like John Paul Jones,
D. catur, Perry, FarrsRut, the Porters
snd others. A sense of prOpriety for.
bids my mentioning the living"
The Schley court OF Inquiry today
notified w. II. Stsyton, counsel for
Admiral Sampson, Of its refusal to grant
the request he made to the court by
letter yesterday. Sisyton had asked
that reference to Sampson made by
Parker In his argument be stricken
from the record or that the court re.
ceive evidences on that point.
WI Ting Fang, the Chinese minister,
Is greatly grieved over the death OF
Earl Ii Hung Chang. Mr.. w. w.
Rockhill, who, as special commissioner,
represented the United States ct the
recent peace negotiations in PekiD,
eulogizsd Earl Ii Hung Chang this
morning 10 most hattering terms "His