The Washington times., 1901-11-03

as the fact that his collier was in bad
condition.
The fourth point relates 10 the arrival
OFF santiago, and the retrograde move
mtnt upon which Sampson based his
charge OF reDrehensible conduct but
not until after Schley had won the bat
tie, and month and a half after the
movement was made. The Department
has simply shown that it was made. Ad-
miral Schley has plainly shown why il
was made. He has established the fact that
he Tc?ohed the conclusion, by the means
OF inIuII"9uGn WHICH ~" Navy Depart
ment had placed AT his command. that
Cervera was not at Santiago: that he had
reason to he uneasy about the coal on
board his ships; that it was impossible
| to coal on May e, the day of his arrival
| of Santiago. that his collier was broken
| down, and that thirty<-ix hours was re
uuired in which 10 repair il, and that
! being Informed that the Spanish fleet was
| rot at Santiago. he determined to guard
| the western passage, knowing that Samp-
| son was guarding the eastward.
The nth point relates to the alleged
/ disc be dioncc Of orders. Here Admiral
| Schley has proven that the telegram
| upon which this charge is based was in
correc translated; that the original,
which the Department had in its posses
sion but did not consider, did not con-
| sututc disobedience of orders, and
that he did rot leave his station, as he
only withdrew, even to the greatest dis
tancc maintained by the Department,
thirty-siN miles while his orders directed
him to go double that distance to the
westward, TO Cape Cruz, if coaiing there
was found practicable.
The sixth point relates to the coaling
! question. The Department has en-
| GeavoTed to show that the ships cOId be
| Coalcd at any time, and that the condi-
! tions Of sea and weather did not prevent
! the ships coalfnE at sea. Upon this point
opinions have widely differed. CAPTAIN
Cook said that it was the worst weather
for coaling ships at sea which he had
ever experienced. Schley has also shown
| that his ships were short of coal, espe-
ciaily when a chase was considered: that
he did coal whenever conditions in his
judgment, were such that ne could do 50
without injury to his vessels: that coal
ing under any conditions at sea was a
somewhat new experience ard very diff
iicult, especially in the case of ships hay
ing projecting SpCnSons: that he regarded
his fleet as a unit. ana that its efficacy
was measured by its weakest member.
The seventh point relates TO the affair
of May 81. Here the lines have been dis
tinctly drawn. The Department has
sought to prove that ii was an attempt to
destroy the Colon. but that il was timid
and ineffective. thus showing cowardice.
Schley has maintained that it was a
reconnaissance made for the PURPOSE of
developing the batteries. and incidentally
to take a shot at the Colon. and that he
was acting under the instructions of the
Department not to unnecessarily risk his
ships against the land Notifications. He
has shown that had he risked his ships,
and one or more of them had been dis
abled, his fleet would have been rendered
inferior to Cervera 5, and the latter might
have made his escape.
The eighth point relates to withdraw
ing at night to a distance at sea This
charge Sampson made in his Century
Magazine" article. Consequently, it form
ed a specification in the precept The De-
partment has been unable to bring the
first word OF evidence to the Court to
substantiate it. and this fact has gone
far to show the malice which exists in
the Department toward Schley- Schiey
has shown that the only foundation for
this charge was his order that in case Of
eral meeting place would be twenty-five
miles off Santiago. No storm separated
the fleet and il did not withdraw to a
distance at sea at night.
The ninth point relates TO the turn of
the Brooklyn during the battle, and is one
OF the two points which has bearing dpCn
the battle of July 3. The Department has
simply proven that it was made. Ad-
miral Sch!ey has shown that it was the
greatest strategic move Of the rEtue bat
the flagship did not run to tie southwark
except the distance of her tactical diane
ter and by a preponderance If evidence
Il at the Texas was never Ia the slightest
danger by reason of the loop.
The tenth point relates to the Hodgson-
Schley controversy, including the d
the Texas colioquy, Yet il has not figured
much i'm the case. Hodgson denied that
there was any colloquy, that the eXas
was not endangered and that he attached
no Importance to the expression made by
SchIey Admiral Schley himself could
not remember making any such remark
He agreed with Ifodgson that there was
no cOlloquy.
Admiral Schiey and his friends are con-
fident Of a vindicatiou at the hands Of the
Court.