The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-17


with the dying squadron.
WEATHER WAS HEAVY.
what kind OF weather was the Eagle
making on MAY 20 when that conversd-
| tion took place.
''As ] expressed t. heavy weather a
short. chOppy sea, and the Eagle ana
Vixen were both pitching considerably.
Al Santiago the witness said that the
blockading line was mile or two closer
| IN al night than during The day ana on
May % the fleet stood ont three or -FOUR
miles There were picket boats inside
the line. but he did not see them
Did you ever have any conversation
with Commodore Schley before July .
relative 10 the Brooklyn going To @uahla-
namO FOR coalY
that other ships OF the squadron were IN
the habit Of going 10 Guantanamo Tor
coal We had had some difficulty. iu
coaiing I'm the open on Santiago The
commodore replied that he had prsh
asked on several occasions II ne Wouiu
like TO go TO Guantanamo, where ne couih
coal quietly ana give the officers ana men
"A rest from the strain of blockade
"lie said that his answer was IN each
ease that he preferred to remain on the
sta ation until the Spanish ships came out
OF the hsrbor
Referring to the battle Of July 3the wit
ness said that he had been IN charge of
the powder division and that IL also was
his duty 10 took after the lower decks
Consequently he had not seen a great
deal OF the fight
lie said that he had seen the Nscaya
go ashore and that. looking aban the
Brookiyn's beam. along the coast he had
seen TWO other Snanish ships on fire. with
the Colon some distance ahead on the
starboaid side aud firing occasionally
Then he went into the forecastle where
Commodore Schley Captain Cook and
Comma nder Mason were standing,
remaining there untn the Colon surren-
dered The oregon was he said, then fol-
lowing very close to the Brooklyn.
"Were any cheering or encouraging
messages sent among the men that you
know Of by whom and what Were they
IL had messenger who made frequent
trips to the gun deck and who reported
To me what was happening. / conveyed
this information 10 the men OF my divi-
sion in the different handling rooms.
A CHEERING MESSAGE.
"Were any Of these messages OF suni-
Client importance that YOU would like TO
speak OF them?
"One message which seemed 20 che ar
the men below very much was that there
were three Spanish ships on our star
board beam. all firing az u.s.
You don't know who sent these mes
sages. who gave them. do you?"
81 took II for granted"
Judge Advocate Lemy here interrupt
!
appear that Commodore Schley sent these
messages which brought a statement
from Mr. Rayner that he would prove
when Admiral Schley went on the stand.
that the admiral sent the messages of en-
eouragement 60 tho men.
Commander Griffin said that when the
Colon gave up the conflict the Oregon was
close ON the Brooklyns starboard quar-
ter and that the Texas and Vixen were
within sight astern.
sCHLEY REMARKABLY COOL.
"Can you speak OF the conduct bear
ing and manner OF Commodore Schley
during the engagement In which YOU saw
him?'
''He impressed me as being remarkably
cool, considering what had Just occurred.
lie WAS perfectly natural In manner and
bearing
on ross-cxamnation Captain Lemly
questioned the witness closely concerning
the weather on the trip TO Santiago the
sending away Of the Eagle for coal and
the blockade of Cicnfuegos Reading
from the Brooklyn's log, he said that az
the time of the Eagles departure the sea
was recorded as moderate.
MIR Hanna-"Did YOU hear Commodore
schlcy say anything about leaving Glen
fuegos?'
Il did not
"Or coaling difncultles?"
- do not remember / know he was
always extremely anxious and seemed
TO coal whenever there was an op-
portunity. ! do not remember any par
ucuar conversation The conversation
about going to Guantanamo impressed me
particularly because afterward | thought
IL was such wise decision"
PROCEEDED WITH DISPATCH
MIR Hanna asked The witness whether
the lying squadron had proceeded with
dispatch ON the voyage from Cicnfuegos
to Santiago and the witness replied.
"Yes. as a unit. until we made tho turn
60 the westward ON May 26 The slowest
ship fixed The speed and that was six or
seven knots an hour"
Then in Your answer. you except the
retrcgrade moVementf
~ do"
Having said that when tho nect left
Cionfucgos 10 was the general under
standing that t WAS bound for Santiago.
Hanna. stated that the fleet was headed
east when 10 stopped south ~ Santiago
MAY - He said in reply 90 further
question that ~ the squadron had cOn-
tnued as then headed Il would have
landed anywhere % the eastward
Rrookyn have I'm conllng ~ Santiago
prior to June f9''
- do not think Their, was any DIFFICULTY
durlnC those dates "
Mr. RaNner-"tsnt ia = fact that tho
derrick heams on tho coiliers were too
short and were NOT cnalng breeches
rigged on all of The ships in order 20