The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-25
SCHLEY TELLS
 OF HIS DEEDS
(Continued from Page one.)


 in the day time. Continuing. Admiral Schley said: Not knowing whether or not there were any insurgents to the west of this place; not having communicated to me any idea that there was a system of signals arranged with them, though asked the question and the failure of Lieutenant Sutherland to give me that information, was directly responsible for the delay in communicating. To risk boat through surf, on a coast believed to be occupied By the enemy, might have repeated Captain McCallas experience. He found the coast pretty well occupied. I saw cavalry on the coast once or twice. They appeared for a moment and then got out of sight.
 T thought to waste ammunition on solitary cavalryman was like wasting big guns on sparrows. wanted to save all the ammunition we had for use against the enemy's squadron, which knew to be somewhere in the vicinity.
 q did everything that was possible dur ing the time we were there to maintain the blockade as contemplated. l did all the coaling that was practicable or possi- bie. The latter experiences of the war after we got hold of colliers that were very much better fitted to resist shock as we'll as to deliver this coal rapidly with that experience might have coaled on days Of worse weather.
 Had Many Accidents.
 "we had a great many accidents about which no mention has been made. One of the colliers had to go to New York absolutely smashed in. The Merrimac had several holes punched through her and my impression now Is a portion of the upper works of the Sterling was injured in some way, but we managed, with more experience. to do little better than we did at first. There was always at Cienfuegos a rolling swell, and vessels with projecting sponsons or projecting guns were always in danger. I recollect in one case later one of the six pounder guns on the Brooklyn was bent at an angle of 30 degrees by coming in collision with one of these colliers. In other words, the problem presented to me at Cienfuegos, was one that had troubled the navies of the world throughout all time"
 He then spoke of the arrival of Captain McCalla May "A, bringing information concerning the shore signals from the Cuban insurgents. He said that when the captain came aboard he asked: Have you seen any slsnais?' ! said' what do you mean" He then asked if l had seen three lights at night and three horses in the day time.
 q said I had seen the lights, and he said they are trying to communicate with you.'"
 q expressed surprise, and asked who had made the arrangements. McCalia replied that he had done so. asked why they had not been communicated to me, but that he did not know. then told him to make a search or the shore, which he did, reporting that the Spanish fleet was not there."
 This information, the witness said. had been received about D. m. May "A ana toward o'clock the squadron formed column and steamed toward Santiago. He said that the signals made were not made until the fleet was fourteen miles from Cienfuegos and could not have been seen.
 A Dirty Night.
 Tt was dirty night, he said, with a lowering sky. l remember that when l looked out at the port hole twenty feet above water, the spray came in freely. Of course this was not serious for big vessels, but it was for the smaller ones."
 He defended his course in keeping the vessels together-holding the faster ves- sells for the slower. "We proceeded as a unit" he said, and hold that to do sotherwise would be unmilitary and un- wise in changing base with fleet. l hold that useful auxiliarles and supplies SnOulO never Dc dudHOOACN SASSPS NAAASA the greatest necessity"
 Taking up the coaling question, he said that it was absolutely impossible to coal May %.
 T watched the situation closely" he said, and felt that was more capable than any other man of judging the situation in that respect. On the 26th the weather was still rough, especially in the morning."
 k4I1 ole nf Commander Sutherland away with the Eagle, and said that it was done because Sutherland had signaIled that he was dangerously short of coal. ''He regretted the necesS sity as I did but it was impracticable for him to coal. He might have taken on a little coal in boats, but he would have burnt 1t as fast as he took 1t on."
 Referring to his course in leaving Glen fuegos, he said 1t was laid os as to give him the widest horizon.
 My course projected" he said, would have carried me to China if there had been no islands in the way"
 He spoke of the necessity of acting upon his own responsibility, of having to act without having any private information from Havana. Therefore" he said. T had to do a good deal from guesswork Sometimes I was right and sometimes wrong"
 Meeting With Dispatch Boats.
 Admiral Schley then told of meeting the dispatch boats St. Paul, Minneapolis and Yale. He said at that time there was a heavy sea on. He remembered Captain Cook saying to him on the pas sage over that he had never seen more motion on the Brooklyn and that some of the younger men were seasick
 Captain Slgsbee came on board" con- tinued, the witness. and 1 think my recollection is almost vivid enough to describe his dress. l recollect distinctly that he had on rubber boots and an old blockading cap which we all more or less wore, heavy blouse suit. l met him at the gangway. I was very glad to see him as he was, of course, to see me. The first thing I asked Sigsbee when he came over the side, and l want to say before I make this statement that l do