The San Francisco call., 1901-11-08

Concerning the voyage from cienfuegos. Cap
The commodore's orders directed that he
tiago He certainly proceeded slowly. But
words"
was to find and check the enemy's fleet. Cau-
ton was needed lest it might pass unde-
stumbled unon witbont nrennrot,on II ne,ther
carried lights. The greatest caution was de-
manded Finally the flying squadron did not
by the fact with regard to the latter condi-
tion, that he using the Ardos signals for
hours after getting under way. 1t would ap-
pc that there was little to prevent its de-
Iarture for the eastward from being diseov-
cred and in due course communicated to San
tiago. He admitted that the weather the
voyage was bad for the smaller boats, par
ticularly the Eagle. and said that the speed
might keep up. He continued, however, say
ing that If that vessel was to be sent away she
should have been SO sent at the time when
she was causing the delay and not when the
voyage practically completed and the
weather improved. In this connection he sug-
gested that all the slower vessels in view of
the urgency of the situation, might have been
assigned a rendezvous, to be Joined later by
the light vessels.
IF drummer boy stubs his toe" he asked
does the army halt?' Having brought the
squadron to the southwark of Santiago on
May 2S, the judge advocate took up the coal
ing question. quoting the testimony of Lieu
tenant Dyson on the question of the coal sup
retrogade movement. This step had been UNI
dertaken without sufficient consideration of
ing the mouth OF the harbor Unmatched and
Cervera free to escape, with a possibility of
his making descent upon our coast-the
moral, to say nothing of the material effect. of
which 1t is impossible to overestimate.''
Criticizes Pilot Nunez.
Continuing in this connection he said: ..It
matters not what Captain Sigsbee or Pilot
Nunez told Commodore Schley. If Nunez had
this court, this information he supplied should
be regarded with very little weight 1 believe
the captain never said the Spanish fleet was
not there, and the commodore alone was re-
sponsible for the retrogade movement. 1t was
his duty to ascertain whether the Spanish
ships were in the harbor, an obligation which
negative information of Captain sigsbee
could remove. And it is inconceivable that a.
positive statement as to the contents of a
harbor of the wei u-known curvature of San
tiago could have been made by Sigsbee'
The details of the retrogade movement were
rehearsed. those concerning the deliv-
cry of dispatches by the Harvard and the nrof-
fers of Lieutenant Beale to go ashore and
Captein emly contended tbat tbs bans1rgents
conveying positive information of the pres
cnce Of the Spaniards must have been deliy-
cred to Commodore Schley, notwithstanding
his denial. but he said it was remarkable that
Captain Cotton should not have communicated
it's contents to the commodore. q =
Here he quoted in full Commodore Schley's 8
Cannot obey dispatch of May 27, and com
mented upon it, saying:
nitely directed, in. positive terms, that the
squadron remain off Santiago, or whether its
desire that this should be DONE was simply
indicated appears to me under all tn. Cir
cumstances to be immateriaI. Disohed,e ,enca
of orders may be imperative and glorious
duty, but if it be not justified it cannot he
condoned by terming it error of judgment
This was not an error of judgment. but an
of conduct
Colon Not Destroyed.
Bringing the squadron back to Santiago the
judge advocate said that nothing was done
toward attacking the enemy until May 81
when the reconnaissance bombardmenf was
made, the total time of all firing then being
seven minutes and forty-five seconds
1.-The Colon was not destroyed or disa bIad E.
and with the possible exception of one shot
all fell short, only three vessels of the force
available were employed In this affair. II has
been claimed that the effects of this affair OF
May 81 was to develop the enemys batteries
and that this accomplished there is how
ever, a great deal of doubt, in view of tha
varying signals and statements made bv the
commodore. both before and after the action
as to what was the real object, whether a re-
connoissance attempt to destroy the 90
Ion. The defense to the failure to 20 in close
on May 81 by pleading at this time the eau
tionary order Of April 8 does not appear to be
sufficient, even If the commodore was lao-
ouainted with its contents. The order rooJi6as