Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-14

Santiago. Then he afterward said they
were there when he left. I said nothing to
him further at the time, and I went down
and asked the commodore II there was any
thing new, and his answer was, as near
as I recollect, that the Hawk had brought
dispatches to the effect that we should pro-
coed to Santiago provided he was satisfied
that the fleet was not in Cienfuegos, and he
said: I am not satisfied yet. l think they
are here yet That is my recollection"
The Passage Toward Santiago.
They left Cienfuegos after the Eagle and
the Marblehead had ascertained that the
Spanish feet was not in the harbor. That
was on the evening Of the 24th. They got
this information between and o'clock
and left about o'clock. He knew that
there were instructions, or at least it was
understood that the commodore had the
idea that they should get out SO that the
Spaniards would not know that they had
left They left Immediately after dark with
all lights out. The weather grew squally
on the 9th and the 18th was bad day.
On the 18th the weather was moderate. The
Eagle had delayed them on this trip, but
he didn't pay much attention to her him
self as he didn't think she was Of much
consequence. They continued to have con-
siderable talk about coal on account Of
their inability to coal the ships.
1.-THE idea always expressed to me- said
the witness. was to keep the ships in
fighting trim. He (Schey) often said ships
without coal were apt to be of very little
use"
Course Laid Toward Gonaives Bay.
The commodore's idea was not so much
that the ships at that moment were in bad
condition for coal. but that if the weather
continued they would be in bad condition
when they got to Santiago. He remem-
bered that the commodore was looking over
the charts to find place to coal and he
finally hit upon Gonaives bay, and he laid
his course to go to Gonaives bay The
that the smaller vessels would be free from
them had they met the enemy He was
careful to keep the fleet intact during this
passage
THE idea," he said, twas that we should
proceed in the direction of Santiago, and
that if We found the sea such that we could
coal We would Immediately institute the
blockade, but II not practicable to do that
we would proceed to Gonaives bay and
coal there"
What, if anything, did you say to the
commodore after he started toward San
tiago?
He started as soon as he found the
Texas had enough coal. Ny impression is
that he said he should go to Santiago; that
he found it practicable to coal from golfers
and there he should stay. If they got too
short Of coal he would go to Gonaives bay
or try somewhere else
What did you say to him?'
81 think / said, You decided wiseIy'"
did you say, congratulate your"
I don't recollect. / may or may not
think 1t was subject of congratulation."
Meeting With the Scout Ships.
Captain Cook related the particulars of
the meeting with the scout ships off San
tiago and told of Captains Cotton and Sigs-
bee coming on board. Speaking of Captain
Sigsbee's visit he told of his bringing the
pilot Nunez aboard, but Captain Cook said
that he had not at first been inspired with
confidence in that individual, although he
afterwards found that he was reliable
man.
The witness then, in response to uucs-
tions, detailed the ret1ograde movement of