Evening star., 1901-10-30
scHtEy OFF SANTIAGO
THE MISSION OF NUNEZ TO THE
CJBANS.
RetrOErade Movement and the Block
ade Discussed-FormatiO Of Squad
ron on the Entrance.

The cross-examination Of Admiral Schley
before the court of inquiry was continued
yesterday afternoon until the court adj
journed.
The Judge advocate asked the witness
why he suggested on May % that Admiral
SIMPSONS squadron be sent to relieve the
flying squadron. That was in a telegram
to the department in connection with the
plan to go to Gonaives for coal.
Simply because I thought it would be
very wise measure not to leave the port
unblockaded.' he replied.
why did you. at Santiago. confer with
Capt. Sigsbee instead Of Capt. Wise, the
senior officer?'
member that Capt. Wise was the senior
officer" .. -.-.-...-
why did you not have all three Of the
captains Of the scout boats on boardT'
Il called Capt. Sigsbee on board. and 1
thought the information he gave from the
others was quite conclusive"
Don't you think it would have been
wise measure to have had all three Of them
and to have consulted them?"
Il think 1t would have been wiser IL they
had given me the information they had
without consultation"
You say that either Capt Wise or Capt.
Jewell failed to give you information?''
Il do not mean to say that they failed in
the offensive sense, but 1 say that they did
not do so. They were within signal dis
tance of me-"
when they were within signal distance
why didn't you signal them to come on
board?
Simply because 1t Is the duty of ju-
nior always to report what information he
has to a senior without request. When
Capt. Sfgsbee assured me that neither Capt.
Wise nor Capt Jewell had seen or heard
anything of the Spanish ships 1 accepted
that as their assurance, and 1 understood
w "a nf hoo hot
he conveyed 1t in that sense"
At this point Admiral Schley's attention
was called to the statement made by him
in his examination-in-chief that in making
the retrograde movement the Brooklyn had
steamed about twenty-eight miles. After
reading the entry in the log covering this
subject he said 1t indicated that the flag
ship really had sailed thirty-tWo or thirty
testimony he had spoken from memory.
Communication With Cubans.
Admiral Schley was then questioned as to
the time when he had sent the Cuban pilot,
Eduardo Nunez, on shore to the westward
from Santiago. He replied that according
to his recollection the pilot had gone ashore
on the 31st, yet he admitted that this might
have occurred on June 1. After Captain
Lemly had read an entry in the log of the
Vixen showing that Nunez had been taken
ashore June 1, Admiral Schley said that
the log naturally would take precedence
over his memory, but that he was certain
he had written letter to Col. Cerbereco
of the Cuban forces. which he had intended
that NuneZ should carry to that officer and
which was dated May 81. The reading
from the Vixen's log also developed the
fact that Admiral SIMPSONS flagship, the
New York, had come within hailing dis
tance of the Vixen as she was about to land
the pilot and had signalled the Vixen to
continue the work that she was engaged in
Captain Lemly then called the witness
attention to the fact that it was on May 20
that he had seen the Spanish ship Colon
in the harbor of Santiago and also the
bows and masts Of other vessels, and add
ed Then two days before Nunez landed
you knew that at least some Of the fleet
was there?" to which Admiral Schley re-
piled in the affirmative.
In response to another question Admiral
Schley said that Nunez had gone on board
the Brooklyn first on May % and stayed
until the next day, and then had asked that
he might return to Jamaica in the Harvard
for papers or letters. Continuing, he said
that the pilot had returned to the Brook
lyn in the Harvard on May 81. after his
visit to Kingston. Captain Lemly then
asked: "Why did you not when he came
on board on May 20 land him and obtain
the information from the insurgents?'
Simply because the information which
he gave me at that time was SO positive in
its character that the enemy could not get
into the port, that 1 did not feel it was
necessary to send him ashore" replied the
admiral.
Captain Lemly: THAT information was
positive in its character, but 1t was not of
his own knowledge"
Replying. Admiral Schley said: "It was
within his knowledge as an expert pilot Of
the port"
Captain Lemly: "You were not afraid of
his betraying your"
Admiral schley: II had no idea of that
1 was surprised to hear Sigsbee or Cook
say that they were suspicious. He did not
n m Justify oP
him"
Captain Lemly: when Nunez was COM
municating to you his information In re-
gard to this matter he based his entire
knowledge upon the possibility of handling
single-screw vessels there, did he not?"
He did not mention anything of that sort
to me. / think he said so before the court
but certainly one ought to take an expert
pilots knowledge of a port. l think that
subsequent experience would indicate that
he was right The Spanish vessels did not
come out. They tried to come out accord
ing to the papers. subsequently translated
but it was found there was a little sea on,
which would rather go to justify Nunezs
conclusion"
Subsequent experience, however devel-
oped the fact that they were in there at
that timer"
Yes. of course 1t did,
Therefore, Nunez was wrong?"
"Undoubtedly. If I had known that at
that time I might have taken different ac-
ton: that is. II 1 had been as well pre-
pared beforehand I was afterward."
do you remember whether there was
any discussion Of the question or any men,
ton, Of twin-screw vessels on this occa-
sion?'
Il do not recollect that there was.
only recollect the fact Of that conversa-
tion being between Nunez and Captain
Sigsbee."
The Return Toward Santiago.
Dropping the matter of the Nunez re-
port, Captain Lemly asked
when you returned toward Santiago on
the afternoon of May % was 1t because you
believed the Spanish squadron was there
or because you intended merely to deter
mine whether or not 1t was there?"
II intended to decide the matter as well
as l could
''You had then determined to ascertain
definitely whether Cervera's fleet was in
the harbor?'
Yes. that was my Intention
why on that day, then, and after hav-
ing coaled the Texas and the Marblehead,
and before you had seen the Spanish ships,
did you signal that you would keep off
Santiago until further orders?"
Simply because If not found there
would do So
You did not make that condition in your
,,I