Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-10-26

the lu0G LudL they uluSt pS liOm guns
of six or eight inch calibre. The shot
from the zocapa battery evidently
reached the fleet. Some went over our
ships and one went beyond and over
the Vixen, which was half mile dis
tant."
''The strength of the batteries being
established it would have been mill
tary folly to have risked the battle
ships further to fire from those, shore
batteries, under my instructions. If
we had lost one or two of our six or
seven vessels the loss would have
been very great disadvantage and it
might have invited attack with dis
astrous results. l thought it better
policy to save the ships for wider and
better use and subsequent events JUS
titled my decision
Here the witness abruptly turned
ircm the bombardment Of the Colon to
a discussion Of the coaling question.
He said that his instructions had been
to Goa. on every possible occasion. He
then quoted and put in as evidence a
number Of dispatches giving the in
structions Of the department on this
question. He related in this connec-
tion the receipt of number of dis
patches from the department which
had, he said, been brought by Captain
Cotton. He was sure that the dis
patches could not have been received
before May 81.
When he received these dispatches
the admiral, in answer to questions by
Mr.. Rayner, testified that he had al
ready discovered the Spanish fleet.
He had also surmounted the DIFF
ficulties about coaling and had so In
formed the department.
On the 31st he received, he thought
by way of press tug from Port An
tony, the dispatch from Admiral Samp-
son, dated May 80 congratulating him
upon the location of the Spanish fleet.
In reply to questions by his counsel
Admiral Schley explained that Cape
Cruz was an exposed place 109 miles
from Santiago and he did not regard
it as an available place for coaling.
Admiral Sampson Arrives.
Admiral Schley took occasion to
speak OF the instructions to him tosex-
anime into Guantanamo as a coaling
basis. To do this, he said, was not
practicable as at least 1000 marines
would have been necessary to guard
that point and these could not be
spared.
"If we had gone there we should
have invited attack" he said.
"These," he added, "were among the
matters I had to consider"
This brought Admiral schley to the
time Admiral Sampson, commander
in-chief of the North Atlantic squad
ron, arrived. He said:
ira1 ofriv
ed. He brought with him the New
steamed down to the westward, lit
was spent In making the turn and I
was on board. He was very cordial,
very glad to see me, and explained to
him the situation and the fact of the
Reconnaissance. He seemed to be very
glad to ind out the situation there and
pointed out to him the Colon lying
in the entrance"
Captain Lemly objected-"H the
court please, we are getting beyond
the courts construction Of the scope
of the precept."
Admiral Dewey-"As I understand
it, he is turning the command over to
the commander-in-chief. I want to
hear that. I would like to hear that
part"
Continuing Admiral Schley said:
II handed him number OF dis
patches, explained to him the situation
and told him the form OF blockade that
I had maintained and heard no word
of complaint from him. In fact, in
view Of the telegram of congratulation,
I supposed naturally everything was
approved Admiral SIMPSONS rela-
tions and mine were always cordial.
I never had any difference with him."
Admiral Dewey-"You have turned
the command over. Now go on"
IT turned the command over to Ad-
miral Sampson, and my squadron was
not broken up until the 18th or 18th
of June. was still in command of
the flying squadron and composed the
left half of the blockading line at San
tiago. OF course have no criticisms
to offer; merely plain straight story
to tell of what its operations were up
to that time." -.
Schiey Describes the Battle.
Admiral Schley began his descrip-
tion of the battle of July at 2:15
o'clock. He said that the day broke
fair with pleasant land breeze.
Describing the coming out Of the
harbor Of the Spanish feet, the wit
ness said:5 y - -
81 was sitting on deck on a hatch
way when heard a call from the for
ward bridge to tell the commodore
that the feet is coming out. That was
some time after the men had been
called to quarters, about 9:35 O'Clock.
The ship was lying at that time with
her head toward the land in the direc-
tion Of Cabanas, a little cove to the
westward and one of the marking
points we used in maintaining our po-
sition. I looked to the starboard side
and saw the enemy coming out Of the
entrance to the harbor. I looked east
ward to see the order fof the ships. I
saw the Texas apparently a point or
more ahaft the starboard beam. The
Texas appeared to me to be heading
on some one Of the easterly courses.
To the left of her was the Iowa. The
Oregon was to the eastward of the
Iowa. The Indiana was to the east
ward OF j that position and the
Gloucester was lying in under the
land. The New York was out of sight
and our signal distance with glasses.