The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1901-11-07
|yuNloR COUNSEL FOR ADMIRAL
scHLEY BEGINS ADDRESS
TO THE COURT.
|no GROUND FOR CHARGES
Declares That In the History Of the
World No Officer Of the Admiral's
| Standing Was Ever Compelled to
Ask an Investigation Of His Conduct
as Victorious commander-clos.
ing Remarks OF Attorney Hanna.


ing Remarks Of Attorney Hanna.
Washington, Nov. 6.-At the open
ling Of the days session Of the Schley
court Of inquiry Mr.. Hanna continued
Ibis discussion of the retrograde move.
ment saying that but one explanation
had been given for it in Admiral
Schley's dispatch, namely, the inad-
equacy OF the coal supply. There is"
he said, mo suggestion Of any other
reason in this dispatch. In his testi-
mony before this court Admiral Schley
gave four reasons for leaving his sta
tion off Santiago, but no one of these
four reasons appear in his telegraphic
report made at the time" .-
Mr.. Hanna then took up Specifica-
tion OF the precept, relating to the
circumstances attending and the rea-
sons for the disobedience by Commo-
dore Schley OF the orders of the de-
partment contained in its dispatch
dated May Is, 1898, and the propriety
(of his conduct In the premise. In this
connection attention was directed to
the fact that the court was, by letter
|of August 1, 1901, instructed that it is
absolutely free to report, if such shall
be found to be the case, that Commo-
dore Schley did not wilfully disobey
Orders, but that he was justified in dis
obeying them"
Mr.. Hanna contended that while
Commodore Schley was acting under
the orders contained in dispatch No.
s when the retrograde movement be-
gan May 26, that order was suppressed
ed by the dispatches delivered on the
Brooklyn May ~ by Captain Cotton,
in command Of the Harvard, and in
one Of which it was said that "all the
department information Indicated
the Spanish division is still at San
tiago de Cuba" and to which the or
der was added: "The department
looks to you to ascertain the facts and
leave without decisive action"
Mr.. Hanna took issue with Admiral
Schley that this was suggestion and
not a mandatory order. $50 far from
being suggestive, doubtful or uncer-
tain are the terms of this order that
they approach the verge OF reproof,"
said Mr.. Hanna. "Their incisive dis
tinctness is notable, SO much SO that
think few subordinate officers, hav-
ing turned their backs on task to
which they had been assigned, would
care to be arrested in such act by a
telegraphic order from superior
couched in such terms" 9..
schley's Message of Regret.
Mr.. Hanna quoted Admiral Schley' g
! dispatch OF May q, in which he ex-
/ pressed regret over not being able to
! obey orders, saying that as it was
written after the Cotton dispatch had
been received it was an explicit con-
! an order. Commenting upon this dis
| patch he declared that it was 'the
most remarkable one to be found in
the annals Of the American navy
He contended that the repairs to the
Merrimac could have been made, as
they were. without going to Key West
and that the Texas was not in severe
straits for fuel. As for the Vixen, she
was not q lighting ship and could have
been sent for coal. The Brooklyn. he
said, was abundantly supplied. He
also contended that on that date, May
Gt, the COuulClOn vi Lie seas was Aot
such as to prevent coaling. He assert.
led that the weather was rough only on
May % and that. therefore, Commo
dore Schley's assertion that the wealth.
Ter had been boisterous and the sea
rough ever since leaving Key West
twas unjustified by the facts.
Referring" he said, ito the indis.
|putable evidence Of the squadron logs,
1t appears that the Brooklyn could
have remained on blockade about 81
days. the Massachusetts about "a days
the Iowa 18 days, the Texas As days
and the Marblehead days. retaining
still coal enough to reach Gonaives
Haiti, where he could secure coal.
The speaker also controverted the
statement made in his dispatch to the
department to the effect that ut is moi
possible to cruise to leeward Of Cape
Cruz in summer, owing to southwest
winds" quoting several witnesses te
show that the wind was not from the
southwest.
Quoting from the expression from
The same dispatch: "Its lis to be re
GREETED that the departments orders
cannot be obeyed." Mr.. Hanna re