Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-10-31
SgHLEy HAS FINISHED.
Cross Examination of Admiral Schley
BY Judge Advocate Lemly Final
-i4tt.,
ly Concluded.
Last Days Questioning Regarding
Bombardment of Colon and Details
of Battle July 3rd.
Inquiries by the Court Regarding Some
of the Points Not Sufficient
ly Explained.

~ Explained.
Washington, Oct. 31.-With the
opening of the Schley court of inquiry
Admiral Schley began the fifth day
OF his testimony and the third day of
his cross-eXamination. The first ques-
ton Captain Lenaly asked was wheth-
er the Iowa was with the flying squad
ron at Hampton Roads when he gave
the captains of the ships the verbal
orders as to attacking the >enemys
fleet. Admiral SclAey replied that she
was not. In response to questions he
said that he first fell in with the Iowa
off Cienfuegos. Captain Evans was
then i'll and Commander Rodgers was
in command. He did not recollect
whether he had communicated the
verbal orders to the latter. He first
saw Captain Evans on May 20. He
was then questioned as to his CONVEX
sation with Captain Folger when the
latter suggested a circular blockade
such as existed at Wei-Hei-Wei. Wit
ness said he thought the fleet was
larger than his at Wei-Hei-Wei and
that there were fanking vessels in
that fleet. He was asked whether he
did not consider a circular blockade
with the vessels pointing in as mobile
as the other form in that the ships
could move either way by turning
with the same helm. The admiral re-
piled that he thought circular block
ade where all the vessels charged to
the center would produce confusion
and inevitably. lead to different ar
rangement according as the enemy
moved east or west. "The outcome,
he d,'"could only be more or less
confusion, such as did actually occur
later
Coming to the reconnaissance of May
81, when the Spanish ship Colon was
bombarded as it lay in the harbor at
Santiago, Captain Lemly asked Ad-
miral Schley when he first received mo-
tice that the commander-inrchief
would be at Santiago. Witness re-
piled that the information was brought
him by Captain Cotton in a telegram
dated May 29. This telegram was, he
said, not received until May 81.
= "Why did you wait two days after
the discovery of the presence of the
feet in the harbor before undertaking
your reconnaissance?
."For the reason I had used those
two days for coalipg the vessels Of the
feet, so as to be prepared in case the
enemy should come out"
Details OF the Bombardment.
bardment, he said he recalled that
~ >+oi ho1 ro1o 1,o
(Schley) went aboard the Massachu-
setts that the bombardment be post,
poned until after dinner, that he warn
ed some people to get off the turrets
and that lieutenant Commander Potts
had given notice that they were on the
range. He did not recall, he said, the
signal not to go in closer, but it was
possible that such a signal had been
sent and it had not been recorded. 1t
might be that it was with this signal
as with other signals which had not
been recorded, because the writing Of
them was always deferred until the
next day. f>&I .$5. a. s. G@%
Here followed an examination of the
various signals from the Massachu
sets on the day Of the bombardment
which the admiral verified. At the
thought there were other signals un
recorded. VI 55$: 4. S; = e r.. = + n
b Admiral Schley said he had ordered
the range att7,000 yards for that day
but he had not supposed the Colon
was so far UP the har'bor. J.
docs your letter to the senate, dat
Il ed Feb. IS, 1899, plead the precaution
ary order of the department. for not
IL :
HIE should rather think that is the in
4 ference s.:s@ \ 2s.5@..s, B: :s 2 22
S The admiral then, at the request Of
the Judge advocate, read what he
wrote to the senate. The letter con
tanned the precautio tionary order Of the
department at the opening of the war
sSHe again explained as he had done
Il. before, that when he wrote his com
u munication to the senate, he did not
"A have all the records before him. He
4 ; cation, he said Admiral Sampson
d report largely from memory. In fur
tf,er support OF his position Witness
read the departments instruction 81
July is, specifically warning the com
{ rnande der.in-c chief against risking arnor
ed vessels to the fire Of land batteries
He was cross-question closely as te
all the orders bearing non this sub
jeEt. He said he never had seen unit
Ill saw them III the rep ghe orders
al April 8 and April 28 Hnodff fying Il
some extent the ori gginai order. Bu
Y lie had never besn a'dYised of ttalaeil
spurpDrt.
Destroy the Nsssel II fosslbie.
/, your ra port off lne 1 III, the die
4 partnent cos :scerning the Tecpnnois
sstsace you did not frlerltIo ION any pur
pose to sink or d daat The Colon a?s'8ss
did not
But In your telegr phic report vol