Evening star., 1901-10-08
CAPT. FOLGER'S TESTIMONY
QUESTION REGARDING THE ENGAGE
MENT OF MAY 81.
Effectiveness of the Blockade of San.
tiagO-Lieut. Dyson Tells of
Scouts Coal Supply.

was continued before the Schiey court OF
inquiry yesterday afternoon after The
Stars report of the proceedings was closed.
Captain Folger was in command of the
cruiser New Orleans during the Spanish
war. He related how on May 81, 1898, the
New Orleans had participated in the bonn
bardment of the Cristobal Colon, then
lying in the mouth of Santiago harbor.
He said that the shots of-the New Orleans
on that day had been fired at a range of
from 5000 to 10000 yards and that all had
fallen short.
What damage was done to the enemy on
that occasion?" asked Captain Lemly.
81 don't think there was any," replied
the witness.
WAS there any further effort to cap
ture or destroy the Colon?"
Not to my knowledge.
'Were all the vessels available engaged
in that action?"
mo; the Texas and the Brooklyn were
in the rear
"Was the fire of the enemy's batteries
heavy enough to seriously endanger the
attacking ships?"
Il do not so consider.
What was developed as to the shore
batteries?'
., ''That they had not strength enough to
do any material damage"
Captain Lemly asked in regard to the
developments concerning the bombardment
of June IA. but Mr.. Rayner objected. The
court ruled that the question was admis-
sible, a similar question by Admiral
Schleys counsel having been admitted on
a former occasion.
1--WE cannot blow hot one time and blow
cold the next said Admiral Dewey, in ad-
mitting the question.
Replying to the last question, Captain
Folger said that the reconnaissance had
failed to develop that the batteries had
any material strength, as single vessel
had Silenced them.
Recurring to the bombardment of May
81, Captain Folger expressed the opinion
that the shots which had fallen near The
fleet on that date were from Spanish ships
in the harbor fired over the hill. and not
from the shore batteries. For this rea-
son he had directed all the New Orleans
fire on that occasion at the Colon instead
of at the land batteries.
The Blockade of Santiago.
Describing the blockade of Santigao har-
Dor maintained by Commodore Schley the
witness said that the distance out was from
five to eight miles, and that at night the
vessels steamed in column back and forth
across the harbor somewhat nearer in. He
added that even though the log of the New
Orleans had placed the vessels nearer the
shore he would not change-his opinion. He
did not believe the vessels we're more than
four miles from the Morropn May 81.
Mr.. Rayner asked: What do you know
about the strength of TIE batteries, the
number Of the batteries or; the strength of
the guns before the reconnaissance on May
81. What actual knowledge did you have?'
The witness replied: II had no knowl-
edge whatever before the reconnaissance"
"Then on May 81, when this reconnois-
sance or bombardment took place, SO far
as you were concerned, you were absolutely
In ignorance of the number Of the batteries
or the strength of the guns?"
Prior to the fire by the batteries, I had
no knowledge"
What knowledge did you acquire as the
result of that reconnaissance or lombard
ment?'
by the number of shots that were fired,
by the character of the discharge, the
smoke, etc, as indicating the caliber of the
guns; by the fall of the projectiles, the
amount of water they would throw up, and
tn, evident direction of the fall as indicat-
with great velocity or slow In that way /
judged, alone"
The eReconnsfssauce.
"Those things were developed as the re-
suit of the reconnaissance, were they not?''
II consider the reconnaissance in that
particular to have been successful"
THE reconnaissance was successful for
the purpose of developing the number and
strength of the batteries at -santiago?"
"Eminently So"
When the judge advocate again took the
witness he asked: Referring to your an
swer that the firing of the 31st was emf
nently successful in developing the strength
of the Santiago batteries, what as a matter
of fact was developed as to the strength
Of such batteries; were they strong or
otherWiSe?'
"They were weak"
The judge advocate: Can you state
whether the engagement of May 81 devel-
soped the fact that the Colon had anything
larger than six-inch guns on board at that
timer
ut did not occur to US that she fired
heavy guns. The caliber cannot specify.
1t did not appear she fired the eleven-inch
guns for which we knew she had been de-
signed"
The court asked questions of Captain Fol-
ger as follows:
For what length of time was the New
Orleans able to fire at the Colon on May
81 on each run?"
II think it was between five and ten min
utes-"
Did you have any conversation with
Commodore Schley as to his purpose in at
tacking the Colon on Mayl81?'
II did not. The information I received
was by signal only"
"By what method did you obtain the
range for your guns on May 81 while firing
I'VE obtained the necessity for a change
of range by the fall of the projectiles."
Were you furnished any plan of battle
by Commodore Schley to be followed in
case the Spanish squadron should come
out!
mo, SIR
Admiral Dewey-"You referred to sig
nal from the flagship. The court would
like to know what that signal Was"
The signal was, New Orleans. clear ship
for action and think 1t was followed by
the signal The New Orleans, Iowa. Massa-
chusetts will engage the forts indicating
that there was to be a reconnaissance or
bombardment. do not remember any con-
versation with the commodore that after
noon on that subject"
Admiral Dewey-'The court would like
to know from the signal book exactly what
signals were made by the Massachusetts,
The witness (reading)-tAt 12:48, In obe-
dience to flagship. Massachusetts, signaled
to the New Orleans and Iowa to clear ship
for action, sounded to general quarters and
cleared ship for action. At I started
ahead both engines, Massachusetts leading
There were no other signals in that watch.
That is all that appears to be in the log
do not remember discussing the subject
with the commodore
Effectiveness Of Bl0cEade.
BY the court-"Were the blockading ves-
sells near enough to the entrance of the
harbor at night to prevent the escape of
the enemy had such an attempt been
nader"
Had the weather beens persistenly clear,
yes; II the weather were thick, rainy or