The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-01

on the turrets, thinking they were ex-
posing themselves to danger from o
which was unnecessary to them. though
I was differently cireumstanced, anj l
so expressed myself Commander
Potts is entirely in error in saying that
I took advantage of cover. That Tic
not do. for I vas not concerned about
syself."
the admira said that Commander
Potts had himself reported on that
range and that he (Admiral Schley)
had not known for several Gays that
the range had been altered. The mo-
ment we began firing he went on,
1.-THE shore batteries responded, some
OF them using powder. There
was quite a stream of projectiles and
I was impressed with the idea thai they
must be from guns of 6 or Inch cali
bre. The shot from the Socapa battery
evidently reached the fleet. Some went
over our ships and n went beyond
and over the Vixen which was half a
mile distant
1.-The strength of the batteries being
established it would have been military
folly to ave risked the battleships to
further fire from these shore batteries
under my instructions. II we had lost
one or two of our six or seven vessels
the loss would have been a very great
disadvantage n il might ave invit-
ed attack with disastrous results I
thought it better policy to save the
ships for wider and better use n uD-
sequent events justified the decision"
Admiral Schley told of the receipt
OF a number of dispatches from the
department which had, he said, been
brought by Captain Cotton. He was
sure that the dispatches could not have
been received before May 31st. When
he received these dispatches he had al
ready discovered the Spanish fleet. He
a also surmounted the difficulties
about coaling and had so informed the
department.
CAPTURE OF BRITISH COLLIER.
He narrated the incident of the cap
ture by the St Paul of the ReStormel,
the English collier bound for Santiago.
Captain Sigsbee reported that the Res
tormel had touched at Porto Rico and
Curacao and that he had sent her to
Key West. adding: II have seen alb
solutely nothing of the Spanish fleet"
On the 31st he received, he thought by
way of a press tug from Port Antonio,
the dispatch from Admiral Sampson
dated May S0th congratulating him
upon the location of the Spanish fleet.
QUESTION OF COALING.
In reply to questions by his counsel.
Admiral Schley explained that with a
squadron such as he had, practically
of the same size as the Spanish fleet, he
had never considered the question Of
sending ships away to coal. He re-
garded it as of prime Importance that
he fleet be kept together.
The witness stated that he had not
gone into foreign waters for coal be-
cause he wanted to avoid International
complications and especially wanted to
avoid the charge of taking advantage
of weaker nations like Hayti n 9TH
ers.
CTOpv on 0NN0I .NCE r0~
TINUED.
After this depression the Admiral
returned to the reconnaissance of May
31St. That some of the younger Off
GERS who testified regarding that occur
renee were mistaken. he said, was prov
en- by the fact that there was today on
the deck of the Indiana a place show
ing where an S-inch shell from the land
Notifications entered July 4th and
wreced her ward room. The officers
referred to had testified that there We're
no guns of over 6 inches in the Santa
go land batteries. The admiral said
perhaps fifty shells went over the
American ships. "In fact" he said,
lit was very lively for a few minutes"
The witness stated the particulars of
the arrival of the New Orleans on May
Both with Captain Folger in
and conveying the collier Sterling.
Captain Felger had. the admiral said,
brought instructions to sink the col
lier in the fair way to Santiago. the de
tails of which performance were to be
left largely to Admiral Schley's discre-
ton. Il did not" he said. understand
that his passage was to be blocked I'D
except in case we should be compelled
10 the port. in which event
that expedient was to be resorted to-"
CONVERSATION WITH CAPTAIN
FOLGER.
He then proceeded to detail his con-
v~ersation with Captain Folger. While
satisfied that Captain Folger a not
meant to do any injustice he felt that
the captain had failed to give all the
details of h conversation. He did
not want to explain to this court" aid
the witness, Just what the CONVERSE
ton had been, for had condemned the
circular form of blockade and had ad-
vocated the form which 1 had establish
ed as being more mobile and more facile
Tor a small fleet as ours was, in case
of attack by the enemy, as more easily
manipulated n handled under signal"
Admiral Schley also took occasion to
speak of the instructions to him to eX-
anime Guantanamo as a coaling base.
To do this was, he said. not practicable
as at least 1000 marines would have
been necessary to guard that point and
these could not be spared. If we had
done so there we should have invited
attack. These were among the matters
I had to consider"
SIMPSONS ARRIVAL.
This brought Admiral Schley to the
time of the arrival of Admiral Sampson,
commander-in-chief of the North At
lantic squadron. In speaking of this
event, and the change in
which it involved he ventured upon
ground which Captain Lemly considered
somewhat questionable. Coming to
this point, the witness said:
ION June 1st Admiral Sampson arriv-
ed. He brought with him the New
York, the Oregon and the Mayf1ower
and steamed down to the westward a
little inside of the line of the blockade.
He found US at that time just in MAX
ing the turn and l went on board. He
was very cordial, very glad to see me
and / explained to him the situation
and the fact of the reconnaissance. He
seemed to be very glad to find out the
situation there and I pointed out TO him
the Colon lying in the entrance.
A NTnTrUEn I'D TECuTTn EDON