The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-31
Sampson Declined to Receive IL Be-
cause the Presence of the New
York Was Not Mentioned.
VICTORY BIG ENOUGH FOR ALL
SAND MADE THIS CHANGE OUT OF
GENEROSITY sCHLEY SAID,
because lie Knew the New York
Would Have Done Good work
as Any Had She Been There.

A-
WASHINGTON. oct. 3O.-The long ordeal
to which Admiral Schley had been sub
Jected since Monday morning ended this
afternoon when his crOss-examination was
concluded. and he was allowed to leave the
witness stand. When the judge advocate
finished the cTOss-examinatiOn shortly after
3 o'clock the court propounded to the ad-
miral thirty-fOur questions prepared by the
members of the court These questions
touched many points of the campaign of
the nying squadron. but mainly centered
about the difficulties encountered in coal
ing and the reasons for the retrOgrade
movement. Not one of them related to the
battle of Santiago. The judge advocates
cross-examination to-day covered the retro
grade movement, the reconnaissance of
May 81, the loop of the Brooklyn and the
alleged colIOquy with Lieutenant Hodgson
about the Texas.
One of the most interesting features of
the day was the development of the fact
that the report of the battle written by
Admiral SchIey, July 8. 1898. not the
original report The original report never
has been published. and. in accordance
with a previous decision. the court to-
day declined to let it go into the records. Ad-
miral Schley was allowed 10 explain. how
ever, that Admiral Sampson declined TO
receive the first report because il did not
mention the presence Of the New York
II felt that the victory at that time"
said Admiral Schiey in explaining the mat
ter was big enough for all and L made
this change out Of generosity, and because
j knew If the New York had been present
she would have done as good work as any
body else
Captain Thomas Borden. of the marine
corps. who was aboard the Brooklyn will
be the last witness called for Admiral
Schley. After he testihes tomorrow the
judge advocate will put on the stand wit
nesses on rebuttal. of whom there are un-
derstood to be about fifteen. and it is
probable that Admiral Schley's counsel will
call several witnesses in surTebuttal
CIRCULAR BLOCKADE NOT THE BEST.
The first question Captain Lemly asked
to-day was whether the Iowa with the
flying squadron at Hampton Roads when
he gave the captains OF the ships the verbal
orders as 10 attacking the enemys fleet.
Admiral Schley replied that she was not.
In response to questions he said that he
first fell in with the Iowa off CienfuegOs.
Captain Evans was then i'll and Captain
Rodgers was in command. He did not
recoilect whether he had communicated the
verbal orders to the latter. He first saw
Captain Evans on May -. He was then
questioned To his conversation with
Captain Folger when the latter suggested
a circular blockade, such existed at
Wei-Hai-Wei The admiral thought the
fleet was larger than his at Wei-Hai-Wei
and that there were thanking vessels in that
fleet. He was asked whether he did not
consider circular blockade with the yes
H.aNl inf h.
other form the ships could turn the
same way in turning the same held. The
admiral replied that he thought cir
Cular blockade where all the vessels
charged To the center would produce con-
fusion and inevitably lead to a different
arrangement. according as the enemy
moved east or west THE outcome" said
he. could only be more or less confusion,
such as did actually occur later"
Continuing his questioning, Captain Lem
ly covered the whole range of the San
1iago campaign. When asked why all sig
Lals were not recorded Admiral Schley
said NO man; except the press corre-
SpondentS, who brave all dangers can al
ways have paper and pencil at hand while
battle IS in progress. and as a conse-
quence there is a failure TO record many
occurrences that should be recorded" Here
followed examination of the various
signals from the Massachusetts on the day
of the bOmbardment. which the admiral
verified. At the same time he remarked
that he thought that there were other sig
mails unrecorded.
THE BROOkLYNS LOOP.
The witness was asked concerning the
famous loop of the Brooklyn and said
he assumed all responsibility for it, Can
tain Lemly introduced this paragraph from
Admiral Scheys report dated at Guam
tanamo. July 8. 1S9S; Since reaching this
place and holding conversation with sew
eral OF the oaptains-namely. Captain Eu-
late. of the Niscaya. and the second i'm
command OF the Colon. Commander Con-
treras-I have learned that The Spanish
admiralS scheme was to concentrate all
fire for a while on the BROOKLYN. and the
Niscaya was 10 ram her. in hopes that
81 they could destroy her the chance of
escape would he increased. as il was stin-
posed she the swiftest ship of vour
squadron. This explains the heavy fire
mentioned and the Niscayas action i'm the
CARRIER movements OF the engagement The
execution OF this purpose was promptly de-
feated by the fact that all the ships of the
squadron advanced into close range and
opened an irresistibly furious ana terrifc
FIRE upon the enemy's squadron as il was
coming out Of the harboT" Admiral Schley
identified this paragraph as part of his
report.
The witness said that before the helm Of
the Brooklyn swung hard aport. in order
10 make the loop, the helm was put alter
nately TO port and 90 starbOaTd in order to
meet the movements OF the enemys ships
1T was difficult. he said. lat that time
10 say whether they meant 10 20 between
the Texas and the Brooklyn or the other
way"
You stated in your examination in chief
j believe, that upon making the turn you
di0 not see the starbOard OF the Texas
II did say so. absolutely" replied the
witness
Admiral Schley la response 10 a question
said he never heard OF the Texas fncit,..ut
until six months after the battle lie had
been under the impression until later that
the starboard engine OF the BROOKLYN WAS
backed TO facilitate the turn. lie rrc0l-
lected distinctly that he warned Captain
Cook a. the enemy apprOa ched that they
were going TO ram him. lie was CLOSELY