The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-12-14
OFFICIAL ScHlEY
 INQUIRY REPORTS Admiral Dewey Firmly En- dorses Sch|ey's Conduct; Benham and Ramsey
 Condemn It.
TEXTS OF THE TWO FINDINGS
DEWEY DECLARES SCHLEY EN-
 TITLED TO ALL THE GLORY.

TITLED TO ALI THE GLORY.
 Latter Was in Absolute Command ot
 the Squadron OH Santiago When the
 Spanish Ships Attempted to Escape
 and to Him is Due All the Credit ot
 That Glorious Viotory-The Majority
 Report Condemns Him on Eleven
 Points-AH Agree That His Conduct in
 Battle Was Exemplary and Recom-
 mend That Nothing Further be Done
 in the Matter.
 Washington, Dec. 13-The most pro- 1onged, interesting and important naval tribunal ever held in this country came to close to-day, having in open and secret session lasted three months, short of one week, when Secretary Long was handed the findings of the court of in- quiry which inquired into the conduct of Rear Admiral w. S. Schley during the Santiago campaign. For seven weeks the court heard testimony and for fully month 1t deiberated upon that mass of evidence, finally reaching the conclusions announced to-day. The result was a complete surprise, and it is probable that no prophecy has ap preached the truth.
 Instead of one report there are two. Both are signed by George Dewey as president and by Samuel c. Lemly as judge advocate. This is form said to be recognized in all courts of inquiry, the signatures of the other members not being necessary But it is explained that Admiral Dewey signed the second report, a minority report, to express his qualification of or dissent from the views expressed by the court, compris- ing, beside himself, Admirals Benham and Ramsey, in the first report.
 It is said at the navy department that there will be no further proceedings in this celebrated case on the departments initiative. Secretary Long and Judge Advocate Lemly positively decline to discuss the findings in any phase.
 The secretary received the reports at o'clock this evening and he has not yet acted upon them. It is probable that he will simply append his sigma ture with the word "approved' to the whole record. The court itself recom- mends no further proceedings owing to the lapse of time.
 The majority report condemns Ad- miral schley on eleven points. while Admiral Dewey sustains him in most lao iori fnHc in brief, that Admiral Schley should have proceeded with the utmost dis patch to Cienfuegos and maintained a close blockade; that he should have en- deavored to have obtained information of the Spanish squadron there; that he should have proceeded to Santiago with dispatch; that he should not have made the retrograde movement; that he should have obeyed the department or ders; that he should have endeavored to capture the Spanish vessels in Santia- go; that he did not do his utmost to de- stroy the Colon; that he caused the squadron to lose distance In the loop of the Brooklyn; that he thereby caused the Texas to back; that he did injustice to Hodgson; that his conduct In the campaign was characterized by vacila- ton, dilatoriness and lack of enterprise; that his official reports on the coal sup ply were misleading and inaccurate; that his conduct during the battle was self-possessed, and that he encouraged in his own person his subordinate off, cers and men,
 Admiral Dewey, in his report, says that the passage to Cienfuegos was made with all dispatch; that in view of his coal supply, the blockade of Cien- fuegos was effective; that he allowed the Adula to enter Cienfuegos to get in- formation: that his passage to Santia- go was with as much dispatch as pos sibe keeping the squadron together; that the blockade of Santiago was effec- i tive, and finally, that he was the senior l officer off Santiago, in absolute com | mand, and entitled to the credit due for | inc glorious victory which resulted in | +ha total destruction of the Spanish | ships.
 There was an air of animation this morning about the building in which the coI1rt held its secret sessions, and it soon became evident that the end of | the court was at hand. Captain Lemly was closeted with the members of the court most of the afternoon, and when he started for the navy department he carried the reports with him.
 A representative of the Associated Press conveyed the first information of the findings of the court to Schley. He was seated in the public reception room of a hotel chatting with friends and several newspaper men, and evinced no signs of nervousness over the outcome. When the conclusions of Admiral Dew ey were read to him Admiral Schley showed his pleasure, and it was evident from his manner that he regarded the statement from Admiral Dewey as a of his cause. He declined to make any statement concerning the courts findings, and, excusing himself from the little company with which he had gathered about him, went to his
 lContinued on Sixth Page.)