The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-09
THEHERO OF SANTIAGO REACHES
THE AGE LIMIT AND
STEPS DOWN.
THE RETIRED ADMIRAL OCCU-
PIES HIS ACCUSTOMED SEAT
AT COURT OF INQUIRY.
ADMIRAL DEWEY TELLS NON
CoAdMITTAL WITNESSES THAT
OPINIONS ARE NOT WANTED.
(By Associated Press.)

u ~ o4Ns OCl. C.-A<OtWILH
wv standing today marks an i'm
pOrtant turning point in the
career of Admiral schley. being moth
ing less than the date of his transfer
from the active to the retired list of the
navy, he was In his accustomed seat
within the railing of the Schley court Of
inquiry, and gave his usual attention to
the proceedings of the court. The re-
tirement of Rear Admiral Schley is in
accordance with law, he having reached
the age of 62 years. It was generally
remarked that he did not look his age.
The formal proceedings of the day be-
gan with the re-introduction OF Lieu
tenant M. L. Bristol, formerly watch
officer on the Texas as a witness. He
was under crOss-examination when the
court adjourned last night and Mr..
Raynor continued his questions today.
Witnesses For the Day.
Other witnesses on the list for the
day included Lieutenant Commander
Potts, who was navigator on the Massa-
chusetts during the war with Spain,
Lieutenant Grant who was also on the
Massachusetts,, Rear Admiral II. c.
Taylor who, as captain, commanded the
battleship Indiana; Commander William
Schuetz, who was navigator on the Iowa,
and Lieutenant H. ]. Holden who, as an
officer on the Scorpion, made the log
record of the communication OF South
erland to Commodore Schley concerning
the conditions off Santiago. 1t was not
expected that all these would be heard
today. If not they would be called to-
morrow.
Mr.. Raynor began his examination Of
Lieutenant Bristol with questions con-
cerning the accuracy of the stadimeter
for the measurement of distances. He
asked if he would rather trust his own
visual observations for four thousand
yards range than the instrument.
The witness stated that the stadime-
ter was more accurate for distances be-
low 1000 yards than above that dis
tance At that distance he would make
several observations for confirmation of
visual observation. The error, ne said,
bcomes greater the greater the dis
tance.
The witness considered the SeXtant
much more reliable in measuring the dis
tance between ships. He had, he said,
taken several observations with the sta
dimeter just before the fleet came to the
harbor and had checked these with the
sextant. He found the distance from
the MORO to be 500 yards.
Blockade Off Cienfuegos.
Lieutenant Bristol was also questioned
by Mr.. Raynor concerning the distance
out of tn blockading ships at Cienfue-
gos. but he declined to change his esti-
mate of yesterday that it was from
eight to ten miles distant from the har-
Dor.
Mr.. Raynor said: II will read you
Commodore Schley's report as to the
blockade off Cienfuegos. He says: "A
line of blockade was established about
four miles off shore and at night an
inshore line was maintained If you are
right, he stated what has not occurred
when he says. a line of blockade was
established about four miles off shore at
Cienfuegos.' That is not a correct state"
ment of the commodore's. is it?'
"The statements l made are what l
thought and what l believe to be right.
I do not question other peoples Words"
Nov refresh your recollectioDs with
an official report. The statement you
have made that during the day time the
squadron lay off CienfuegOs from four
to six to ten miles; and during the night
from eight to ten miles. Without ques-
tioning either Commodore Schley or
yourself, when l read you his official re-
port, do you still stand on your state
ment, about six to ten miles?"
II have to stand by my statement"
Speaking Of the weather during the
cruise of the flying squadron from Cien-
fuegos to Santiago, the witness said there
were fresh breezes and that there was
a moderate sea. A small boat could, he
said, have been lowered at any time.
Spanish Shore Batteries.
Mr.. Raynor also interrogated Lieuten-
ant Bristol concerning his estimate
made soon after the arrival of the fleet
off Santiago, that the Spanish shore bat
teries amounted to little. He had said
that the elevation of these batteries was
from $50 to 200 feet. Mr.. RaynOr pro-
duced a chart to show that the Morro
battery was 220 feet above the water