The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-04

Where was she when you first saw
her. with respect to the Texas?"
on the port bow of the Texas"
How far away?"
Il would not like to make an estimate
OF the distance. 1t seemed very close.
She was going seaward."
was she headed toward the Texas? 30
She was on a course about at right
angles to us at that moment"
Have you any notes on that subject
made at the time?''
Yes, SIR
please read them"
Il have a note made at $50 O'Clock in
quotation marks stop both engines,
helm hard starboard.'"
Who gave that order?"
Captain Philip"
Mr.. Hanna: did you make any en-
try at the time with respect to the
passing of the Brooklyn before the
Texas?"
Yes, the next line here reads) 1t
was Brooklyn-close shave"
Gould she have been half mile
away?"
Il should think not. not anything like
it. l. would not suppose it was q quar-
ter Of mile when 1 saw her. 7 went
around to the lee side of the coming
tower to find out why we stopped.
Captain Philip waved his hand toward
the Brooklyn and l saw her. He said
Look at that fellow going out to sea. -
Admiral Dewey: Did you hear Cap
tain Philip give any orders to back the
engines?"
mo, sir I do not remember that l
did: 1 turned away almost immedi-
ately"
Admiral Dewey: You would have if
he had given the orders, would not
you?"
IT might and might not"
Admiral Dewey: You seem to have
heard everything else"
"Oh. Not everything"
Mr.. Dieuaide said in response to
questions that he had on the day Of
the battle written a report of the bat
tie, but that these facts had not been
given because Captain Philip had ask
ed him to make it nice for everybody"
and this had been his own inclination.
CAPTION SIGSBEE ON THE STAND.
Captin Charles D. Sigsbee told of
taking aboard the Cuban pilot Nunez
and said that he did not have great
confidence in that individual. His in
structions were to report to Commo-
dore Schley that the Spanish squadron
probably was in Santiago harbor. He
fell in with the flying squadron on the
evening of May 26th, the squadron then
being twenty or twenty-five miles
south of Santiago. He had reported to
Commodore Schley that he knew
nothing positively about the Spanish
fleet
He was then asked if he had express
ed his belief to Commodore Schley that
Cervera's fleet was not in the harbor,
as reported later by Commodore
Schley.
The witness replied: II stated that
we had seen nothing of the Spanish
fleet. I may have stated that 1 knew
nothing positively or absolutely about
it's movements, but I recited certain
events to show that there was proba-
bility of the fleet being in Santiago at
that time"
Mr.. Hanna: THE portion of the ques-
ton to which I should like to have you
give an explicit answer is whether you
assured Commodore Schley, that you
believed the Spanish fleet was not in
Santiago
81 did not say that 4 believed it was
not there 1 said L have not seen it,"
Did you give him any assurance
which would point in that direction?"
- made known first any orders from
the navy department. which stated the
Spanish fleet was reported to have ar
rived there"
Mr. Hanna read a nulnbed of letters,
among them being one from Captain
from Mole ST. Nicholas. May 29th, in
which he said to the commodore: DO
as you are doing and you will do right"
He told the commodore that the de-
partment expected him to exercise
great efforts to keep in coal.
Mr.. Hanna: 81 wish to ask you at
tention to the clause: DO as you are
doing and you will do right what was
the flying squadron doing at the time
you wrote that letter.
THAT was based on the tenor Of the
cipher kilograms I found at the Mole
from the in-chief and from
the navy department, urging that the
Spanish squadron be held and that
every effort be made to coal ship. l
had twice urged on Commodore Schley
the importance of taking advantage OF
that particular kind of weather, stating
that it was better than anything we
had had during my stay off the port.
Mr.. Rayner then questioned the wit
ness, bringing out the statement that
the purpose of his ship being sent to
the vicinity of Santiago was to, if pos
sible, locate the Spanish fleet. He said
that he had first seen the Spanish yes
sells in the harbor at Santiago, but that
when he reported the fact he found the
squadron had already made the dis
covery.
Mr.. Rayner attempted to quote a
statement from Admiral Sampson to the
effect that Captain Sigsbee said that
on May 29th the flying squadron was
blockading Santiago twenty-five miles
out at sea, but objection was made TO
bringing Admiral Sampson in and Mr..
Rayner asked Captain Sigsbee whether
he had made that report to any one at
that date.
The witness replied in the negative.
In reply to a question as to the condi
ton of the weather at the time he wa:
at Santiago Captain Sigsbee said: Dur
the oath, 25th and 2Gth Of May th'
weather was unsettled. trade condition:
had been Kindred. There was more ol
less rain and moderately heavy sea:
on those three days"
QUESTIONED BY THE COURT
The court asked a number Of question:
of Captain Sigsbee. These with the re-
plies were as follows:
What was the state of the sea on tht
afternoon and evening Of May 26tf
when you communicated with the fyine
squadron to the southwark Of the port
Of Santiago?"
sTTba coo was heavy for boats. but