Evening star., 1901-10-30
BATTLE OF JULY Sd
Continued frorn First Page.)

\ Oh QSVelOplnS lnelE SIIenStn. L tHillk tAC
reconnaissance was eminently successful
| in determining the batteries present. 1
| might add in connection with this that the
| squadron was composed of five or six ships.
| and under the instructions, / may say, be-
| cause the admiral stated we were prohib-
tied from firing on Notifications. felt that
| only the strongest military necessity would
| have justified risk to our squadron that
| would have reduced 1t to fnferiority as COM
| pared with the enemy that might have in
duced the enemy to come out If one OF more
! of our ships were crippled and engage us,
| with results that might have been diSaS-
| trous. In my Judgment believe the devel-
/ opment of these Notifications was suffi-
cient. The ship did not get away. She
! could not get away, and she never did get
| away.
| Q. Did you on May 30 inform Mr.. Macy
| on the bridge Of the Brooklyn that there
| was to be reconnaissance on the next
day? A think I had a conversation with
| him. In fact, had not many secrets from
| the officers Of the fleet, and he was a
bright fellow and took great interest in
| the campaign
think 80. 1t is my impression talked with
| Captain Cook about everything, but / do
| not recall really the words. / remember
| having a conversation with him after it
| was over.
| Q. Did you inform Mr.. Graham the news
| paper correspondent? A. That do not re-
| call. If / did it was in the general con-
| yersation l had with all.
Q. Now, admiral, did you inform the cap
| tains of the vessels that were to be
gagged in the fire? A. think so. because
l signaled what the purpose was.
! Q. Did you signal to these commanding
| officers that there was to be reconnois-
| sance? A. No, l think that 1 signaled
| that We would go in at a certain hour and
| would use our twelve-inch guns, or desg-
mated the guns. L do not remember the
| words.
| @ Did you not tell Captain Higginson
about potting or destroying the Colon? A.
| 1 have heard that expression used several
| times, but do not recall whether 1 did or
| not
| Q. Did this affair develop without ques-
| ton the presence of the Spaniards in the
harbor? A. l thought so. 1 thought 1
| recognized in some of the larger shells that
! struck outside of us shells from their ships,
| which indicated the fact that the enemy
| was in the harbor, and the subsequent rev.
Citations show that we were right.
Q. Now, referring to the signal not to go
| in closer although no such signal has been
| shown, you did not go in any closer? You
| stated that no vessel could have gone in
| any closer? A. | do not recall it at all. 1
| do not recollect the signal and do not think
| signal of that sort would have been nee
! essary.
| Q. The purpose of my question was, would
| not that have been the very signal made, if
| you found a vessel was going in closer? A.
| L do not think there was anybody there
| more anxious than l was to go in closer
/ that day.
| Q. That does not answer the question
Would not that have been the proper sig
| nal?
Mr. Rayner: May I not ask question?
Is there a signal record book of the Iowa
! in evidence?"
The judge advocate: THAT signal is in
evidence just so far as it is worth"
Mr. Rayner-"Did not Admiral Evans
| read from a transcript of signals in his
evidence? We are without the signal rec
| ord books of the Iowa the Massachu-
| setts Am I right wrong?"
| The judge advocate-"These books are
not here. The Iowa's book has been tele-
! graphed for, but she is in Central Amer
| ica''
Mr.. Rayner-'I thought she was at New
port News. l would not trouble you to
| bring the signal book of the Iowa in
Why the Colon Was Not Destroyed.
The judge advocate-"Admiral Evans re-
! port relates to what he termed important
signals Then, addressing the witness,
the judge advocate continued: admiral,
| why did you not, with the remaining fight
| ing ships of Your squadron destroy the
| Colon?" -
Admiral Schley answered: Simply be-
| cause by reason of the batteries, which
| could have set plunging fire on the ships.
| | might say that there are many arrange
| ments that we might make and sometimes
1 do not make but as the question of coal
seemed to be one Of the most important in
| the dispatches of the commander-in-c chief,
] it occurred to me that we should lose no
| opportunity to keep the ships in the high
| est efficiency and in good condition.
| q. Why did you not go slower in front
| of the mouth of the harbor on that day?
A That was perhaps tactical error which
| might have been remedied if some one
| else had been in command.
| Q. Would not the firing have been more
| effective? A. That Is problema teal If we
had gone farther in I think it will be seen
| that If lines were drawn from the position
! occupied by the Colon tangent to the sides
| of the harhOr naturally he fua
gent would spread off the farther you were
away and would be nearer together the
closer you were inso that it was tweedledee
and tweedledum whether you went slower
and closer in or faster and farther out.
| think there was time enough to take delib-
| crate aim.
mouth of the harbor? A. 1 cannot say
| q. Can you estimate it? A 1 should say
| three or four minutes.
Q. Can you state more specifically the
caliber, character and source of the shot
which struck the Indiana July 4? A 1t
| was supposed to have passed through her
| deck, wrecked her ward room and caused
| good deal of damage. 1 have been in
| formed that they have a plate on her TO-
| day showing these facts.
| The Range.
| @. You say in your testimony, referring
| to the fire of May 81, that you heard the
report from Captain Hgginson that you
! were in range? A. 1 do not think that 1
heard him say 10000 yards, but heard it
reported that we were in range
Q. You said that you never knew until a
| couple of days afterward of any variation
In the range? A. That was communicated
| to me by letter from Captain Higginson
| himself
| q. Did you not observe the fall of the
| shot at all? A Some, yes But 1 was en-
gagged principally in looking at the batter
| les and the development.
| Q. How did the shot that you saw fall?
| A. One of them fell up in the harbor
| Q. Was that all you remember? A. 1 do
| not recall definitely.
| q. You do not remember any except the
| one that did not fall short? A. Yes, I saw
/ others fall, and that one fell short
| q. You could not tell by the eve alone
| that you were greater distance than 7 900
yards? A No, that was impossible.
G. Did you hear the range passed along
the deck. A. No
| @ Who was taking and communicating
| the ranges? A. Mr. Potts.
| O. Were there no reports made to Won
| during the fire as to the effect of the fire?
| A No, did that myself, SO far as obser-
| y2tiOp