New-York tribune., 1901-10-08
IN FAVOR OF SCHLEY.
YESTERDAYS TESTIMONY IN
THE NAVAL INQUIRY.
r1onGsoN PRAISES sCHLEYS CONDUCT
N BATTLE-CAPTAIN FOLGER ON
BOMBARDMENT AND BLOCKADE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

washington Oct. THE preponderance of to-
so,,s testimony before the naval court of in
curry was in Schley's favor although the de-
fance has not yet formally begun. Most of the
dav was spent in questioning Hodgson, the
rrooklyn's navigator, who. while he adhered
strictly TO his version of the conversation that
he declared had occurred between the Com
rnodore and himself at the crisis Of the battle Of
Santiago, none the less disposed to con-
strue Schley's language in more favorable
l;obt than had been attached TO il in some quar-
tors He resented the stigma of trepidation
rbch had been sought TO be attached TO his
superior officer and combated the notion that
-be celebrated expletive regarding the Texas
was ever intended in its literal sense, but de-
dared that. on the contrary. it was apparently
an expression of impatience.
The witness was most at ease when recounting
the work of the Brooklyn in the battle, which
he did with great zeal, bringing out many in
teresting facts with emphatic exactness. relating
particularly TO distances and bearings between
ships and ranges at different periods. established
bv instrumental measurements. He declared
that the Brooklyu's turn TO seaward carried her
oTshore only by the length of her tactical di-
ameter at eleven knots, or about 600 yards, in
stead OF the 1000 yards estimated from the
Indiana. and he corrected to 400 yards the
last range of | 100 yards to the closest Spanish
shin inst after the loop. given by Yeoman Ellis
before he was killed
II was notable that the three members of the
court gave closer attention 10 this witness than
N anv who had preceded him on the stand. and
that when he closed they asked him more ques-
-ions than they have put 10 others. At their
instance he was compelled to retell the story of
-be crisis OF the battle for tn ethird time II was
also noticeable that none Of the courts ques-
rions related to the volumnous correspondence
which consumed all the Saturday session and
part OF to-days IN its reading.
Captain William NJ. Folger testified at the
afternoon session for an hour. His ship. the
New-Orleans Joined the Flying Squadron on
Nav 80 and he was therefore limited 10 oc-
currences of two days and two nights, including
the reconnaissance of May 81, in which his ship
took part. The reconnaissance. he thought. was
euinentIy successful in developing the insig-
rifcance of the Santiago batteries and for that
reason he thought the attack on the Colon
should have been made at much closer range
70 he effective He discredited his log where il
disagreed with him TO distance from shore
of the blockade and the duration OF f1re on
the Colon He also said that IL the Spanish
vessels had ATTEMPTED to escape at night they
could not have been seen by the blockading
fleet in bad weather.
Lieutenant Dyson. Of the Steam Engineering
Pureau inst before the court adjourned, pre-
seuted data on the coal endurance Of the squad
ron at high speed, to show how far the spanish
ships might have been pursued II tney nag
made a sortie when Schley first arrived on
Santiago
The Judge-Advocate expects to recall Lieu
tenant-Commander Heilner, TO prove version
of the loop colloquy said to have been given 20
MIN bv Hodgson and in that way introduce
letter from Captain Chadwick, which was ruled
out by the court.