The Washington times., 1901-10-30

one. I also felt that the strength of my
squadron as a unit was only equal TO the
coal supply of the lowest one which CON,
posed II. The ambiguity OF the despatch
from the department was manifest at
once because it states that al the
department Information Indicates the
Spanish feet is at Santiago, ETC. anu anu tliei II y
points out a place for coaHnG, wmch az
that time was inaccessible. and last. II
looked to me to determine ana report
whether or not the enemy was in port.
The Afternoon Session.
After the court reeonyened from recess
Captain Lemly continued his cross-eXami-
nation. asking a great many questions
which were apparently tedious to the
Court as well as to the spectators. They
related to the position Of the Merrimac at
the time that ships engines broke down
and ELECTED nothing OF value.
Some interest was finally ir iected into
the enquiry when Captain Lemly recurred
to the matter of the location Of the Span
ish fleet at Santiago. He said: Having
brought the Flying Squadron in the vi
cinity of Santiago and having in your pos
session dispatches from the department,
indicating the probability of the Spanish
feet being in the harbor why did you
hoist the signal Designating Key
West?'"
In an instant Mr.. Rayuer was upon his
feet with an objection He said: This
has been positively denied The subject
has been gone over and over again, and
there Is no necessity of asking such a
question at this time. There is no neces-
sitv for argument"
Captain Lenly-No, there is not.
Mr.. Rayner-Cannot the judge advocate
give US some idea Of what these de-
spatches were? The judge advocate should
partiCulari2e little.
Captain Lemly-I will be glad to partic-
ularize with regard to that
Mr. Rayner-You refer to dispatches
and s.
Captain Lemly-I win repeat the ques-
ton in this way: Having brought the
Flying Squadron in to the vicinity Of San
tiago and having in your possession a
de spateh from the Navy Department. dat
ed May %, 1898. which directed the Har-
ward to proceed at once and inform you
1.-The department information Indicates
Spanish division is still at Santiago;
whether you did not, with this despatch
in your possession, signal the destina-
ton as Key West without consulting tHe
commanders of the several vessels con-
tained in your squadron?
Mr.. Rayner-There is no objection
Admiral schIey's Reply.
Admiral schley-I did not get that de-
vas dated the 25th. at Washington. 1
had already hoisted the signal, for the
reason, as I stated little while ago. that
the information in my possession and that
obtained from Captain Sigsbee, stated
positively that the Spanish squadron
was not there, supported by the state
ment that they could not get in on ac-
count Of the difficulties Of the harbor. l
considered then that l would have to act
on my own responsibility. / did not call
the commanding officers on board, as 1
stated in my testimony. | was always
ready to assume the responsibility for any
movement that might involve cenSure
rather than throw myself back on some
one else. That was the reason for tins
action.
Continuing. the Judge advocate devoted
considerable time to eliciting the time al
which the signal was given: Destination,
Key West etc. he sought TO have ii
appear that she signal was made at le:4g
ceived the despatch brought by Admiral
Cotton.
Mr.. Rayrer called attention to the fact
that 1t had been made on the evening OF
May Is and Admiral Schley said that he
did not receive the despatch until May
Captain Lemly then stated that he re
ferred to another signal Of May 2, and
that the signal Of May 26: Destination
Key West" etc. was already in evidence.
II developed that the signal at l0:40, May
2. was flagship TO squadron: Can you
fetch I'd in Key West with coal remain
ingE The answer from all WIS Yes"
Admiral Schley said that there was an
other part of signal which began: Il
should not etc, which he could not
make out from the signal book.
schIey Explains Signals.
Admiral Schley was made to explain the
signals at some length In the same con-
nection it was shown that the Yale had
sisnaled on the night before that her coal
supply Hes short This was when she had
the Alerr mac in tow and stated that she
could make nine knots with her tow. but
that ii would be waste of coal, the sup
ply OF which was small.
Q.-XOu said that Captain Cook was al
ways in your confidence. Admiral. Did
you confiGe in him the purpose Of the re-
trOgrade movement before it began
Al - net recollect that 1 dId. and
am unable 10 say that 1 did not. rec
oilect that he and 4 had some converse
tion as we talked from day 10 DAY and
hUUr to hour about matters.
Q--Do you recOllect that you had some
conversation upon this matter?
Al think so. but cannot recollect it.
Q.-Can you recollect the substance OF
Al cannot
G.-Where did you expect to coal had
you gone to Key West.
Al expected to coal at the first cppOr-
tunity, whenever it was found.
Gould you have coaled at any Of the
Gays at Key West?
Al could have coaIed just outside of
the lighthouse.
Q.-What was the condition of the coal
supply of the vessels OF your command
on May q when you signaled to the St.
Paul: Ii Sampson comes here tell him
one-haf Of our squadron-
Admiral Schley dnterrupting)-That sig
Captain LemIy~waIt a moment. please,
until / finish. When you signaled: One
half OF the squadron out Of coal and col
Al think the signal, as reconect it.
was; Short Of coal
Odd you not say that the Brooklyn
steamed eastward on the retrograde
about twenty-eight miles. or perhaps a
little mofe2
A-The BrookIyn's log shows twenty
eight miles, perhaps q i.ttle more. /
meant altogether. That was my recollec-
ton
.Q.-Does not the Brooklyn's log show
ALI miles?
A.-On page 232 it shows about thirty
five or thirty-six miles merely spoke
from recollection At O'Clock l think it
is recorded in the Brooklyn's log that the
M9rro was bearing north by east. and
distant about seven miles. If We had
gone seven miles farther we must have
gone pretty close in to the beach. 1t
seems to me that the log indicates about
thtrty-two or thirty-three miles.
Q.-The reading OF the patent log at S
p. m. Of the 9th. is ~. isn't il?
Ayes. but may not have been steam
ing that distance in the same direction.
Course of the Brooklyn.
OWN not the log show that all the
steaming that was done was ON j west
wardly course?
A.-fhe log shows on pages 232 and pa
''frcm 10 D. m. to midnight about seven
teen miles" There appears 10 have been
several courses that afternoon. From l
10 p. N. the courses are marked '.vari-