The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-28
observation-disclosures

Commodore Schlev ! asked II he would
Ike me TO 20 ON bOurd He said he would.
went on board and, Of course, confirmed
the fnct that Admiral Cervcra's feet was
not I'm tienfuegos. | saw then for the hrtt
time the set of instructions for Commodore
SchIey During the conversation the com
modore asked me to read the instructions
and after ! had read them he asked what
] thought he had better DO Previous to
this he had said thut he could not coal on
Santiago. TINT the English had dem
strated that ships could not coal at sea.
He said that II he returned to Key West
ne would he courtmarhuled. II was after
This that he handed me tho orders which /
/ ftag Alter reading them ! said; Com.
lnohore. I think you must return 10 San,
uaEo even n you do not stay there.
Where were You when Commodore
| Schley said uhnt II he returned TO Key
Wcet he world be rourtmortialpdT
~ was In the cabin Of the Brooklyn. TIE
/ interview lasted perhaps half an hour cap
! tnin Cook either came In frequently o. re-
/ malncd The whole time. Lieutenant Sears
came In once"
Did You hear any reports or remarks
| conversational or otherwlscf'
While ] was there the 1hg lieutenant
! think. came In twice TO report signals
One was regarding the smount Of coal on
the effect that the Mcrrimac had 5000 tons
Of zeal coal. ,n,,,, ,.,,,
iect Of going 70 Snntingo7"
DO NOT remember that ANYTHING was
said IN reply 90 my suggestion Shortly
afterwards the admiral suld: 'Ihis Is
marter shall have 10 decide myself and
You may return t0 luur ship
Captain McCalla suid no effort had been
made while he was with the dying squad
ron m Iierfuogos 10 prevent the Spanlards
from continuing the construction Of earth
works, which be had been ordered ~ do
7 he said the NllrbIehcad could have gone
/ within range or their works and that no
| mad been told nv a Cuban pilot that the
} watsr WINS deep under the bluIfs. Captain
/ M"Calla said that the squadron had NOT
| proceeded with ali "dispntCh to Santiago
After telling NJ the cruise from Cicnfue
gos to Santiago. Of the arrival of that otis
! and NJ the rctrograde movement toward
! Key West, the witness was asked n the
/ MnrhlehCnd could have Coalpd on tho after
noon and evening Of May 90 when the Nv
| ing squadron arrived on Santiago. He re
! piled In the affirmative, hut suid he had
not considered the vessel I'm need of coal
| He also said In reply to questions that he
prehensve about coaling the MarbleheRd
! He had he said coNled the night of In,
| 9Th, at first by boats With bags, but
after daylight on the 2Sth the vessel hat
gone alongside the coEcr. The reason why
this had not been done In the beginning
he said, was that he had been apprehensivs
Of ininring the guns of the Marblehcad lr
the dark, rho weather conditions having e
| do With the nrpclutlnu Captain MCCallf
said he had fold Admiral Schlcy ne could
| coal without difficulty at Cape Hayden
| In reply To an explicit question, the wit
ness said, with the collier present, he had
not anticipated any difficulty In remaining
of Santiago for considerable time.
! In response To questions he next related
| briefly the bomhardment Of the Cristoha
Colon May ~. When asked what had been
of that vessel he replied that Admiml
Schley had failed to use his entire force IN
! making the attack.
AT p. m, the court adjourned.