Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-03
IM'CALLA TAKES THE 81 AME
He Did Not Inform Admiral SChley Of
The Code Of Signals at CienfuesOs.
HOW THE OMISSION OCCURRED
Lieut.. Southerland's Testimony
Severely Shaken.
THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SESSIONS

OF Admiral Schley's fieet toward hey
West to take on oonl and the alleged
disobedience of orders. The leading
witness OF the day was Admiral Gotten,
now in command at the Norfolk Navy
Yard and the commander of the scout
Harvard during the Spanish War.
number of distinct points OF adj
vantage were scored by tho attorneys
for Schley during the day. One was
the introduction OF ths Dear Schley"
disrntch from Sampson to Schley, in
structing him, notwithstanding the
orders OF the department, TO remain ut
Cienfuegos. Another was the decision
Of the court throwing out testimony
showing conversation between Capt.
Wise and Japt. Philip, in which Wise
told the latter that the Spanish ships |
were Sin there. As Schley could not |
have heard this conversation, it was |
ruled out.
It also appears that Wise was under |
orders to ascertain II Cervera's fleet
were at Santiago, and il he found it
there to tell every American vessel he
met at the fact. But he did not tell
Schley. This is feature of the case
which will no doubt come up when
Wise goes on the stand.
Admiral Cotton related the circum-
stances Of his going aboard the Brook
lyn with sundry dispatches, and re-
naming on hoard for two hours and u
half. He described Schleys anxiety
about his coal supply, ard told how all
the reports showed a low supply, and
yet he declared that Schley made no
effort to locate Cervera's feet, and
ncisted signals for the fleet to sail for
Key West, The defence got in the
original dispatch from Schley to the
department on which the charge of
disobsdienoe Of orders is based by
Secretary Long. 1t was read in COM
pari5on with the version printed in the
official documents, and the variations
were pointed out. 1t is the dispatch
which contains the sentence: 1T is to
be regretted that the departments
orders cannot be obeyed, earnestly as
we have striven to that end" Admiral
Cotton also went over a suggestion he
made to him to have Lieut.. Beale go
ashore with letters from insurgents at
Kingston to insurgents supposed to be
In the neighborhood of Santiago, and
learn IL the Spanish ships were in the
harbor. Schley, he said, took no
interest in the idea. Before he was
through his testimony the Admiral
said be may have made this suggestion
as late as May 3lst. instead OF May
Iftut WulCu WOuiO udNb hCCuuubdu luf
Schley's want of interest to settle a
Washington, Sept. 26.--The Schley
Court of Inquiry began its session TO-
day with the intention of holding one
sitting, having decided to forego the
afternoon session, in order to permit
the membersf of the court and oounse
10 attend the funeral of Judge Wilson
Counsellor the Navy Department to
day continued their efforts to show tina
Admiral Schley had information of th'
presence of Admiral Oervera and hi
ijset in the harbor at Santiago, ant
introduced for this purpose additions
officers of the auxiliary cruisers whiol
we're at the time doing duty ms scout
boats in West Indian waters.
Capt. Wise, who commanded th
scout ship Yale during the Spanis
War, continued his narration of th
retrograde movement Of the FLYNN
Squadron toward Key West on Ma
9th. He first told how the Yale ha
taken the Merrimao in tow under th
direction OF Admiral Schley. He sal
that the Admiral had signalled upo
starting to ask II there we're COT
enough to carry him to Key West, 1
which he had responded In the affirmt
tive. On the next day he had reporte
10 response to an inquiry that he ha
coal sufficient for two days of fu
steaming and four days Of moderai
eteaming. He was then dispatched
Newport Newp, reporting to Admir-
Sampson on the way. He mad told Adm
raj Sampson, he said, that the Flyir
Squadron was about 80 miles west
Santiago. In response to questit
from the Admiral, Re had said he d.
not know what 1t was doing there.
Mr.. Hanna read the following extra
from Admiral Schley's report of Fe
rusry 18th, to the committee on nav
affairs in reference to the letter fro
the Secretary OF the Navy Of Februa
9Th, 1899.
AFTER having been informed by t
scouts commanded by such officers
Sigsbee, Jewell and Wise that, althou
\ they had all been off Santiago de Gu
for a week, they had seen nothing of
=, (the Spanish heetl and knew nothi
of its movements or its whereabouts
&c.
He then asked Capt. Wise il he
made such q communication TO
Admiral.
~ did not'' was the response.
Mr.. Rnyner asked questions, dew
ing himself especially 10 the sIgnalli
between the Yale and the flagship.
The witness said he was sure that
May Goth. when he hailed the Tex
he had not passed within bailing d
tance OF the Brooklyn, being one 9
one-half miles distant
Mr. Rayner read from report mi
on May Both by Admiral Sampson,
which he stated that Capt. Wise
told him that he believed Santi
harhor Tn ha Hff0nOly fortihad