The sun., 1901-09-27
saw NO SPANISH SHIPS
Captain Wise's Testimony Favorable
-; -; to Schley.
SENT NO SCOUTS ASHORE.
Commander of Yale Didn't Know
That Cervera Was In Santiago
Harbos After He Had Rec
onnoitered Four Days.

the intention of holding one sitting,
having decided to forego the afternoon
session in order to permit the members
of the court and counsel to attend the
funeral of Judge Wilson.
Counsel for the navy department
continued their efforts to show that
Admiral Schley had information Of the
presence Of Admiral Cervera and his
fleet in the harbor at Santiago and IN
officers of the auxiliary cruisers which
We're at the time doing duty as scout.
boats in West Indian waters.
Captain Wise, who commanded the
scoutship Yale during the Spanish war,
continued his narration of the retro
grade movement of the flying squadron
toward Key West on May 81. He first
told of how the Yale had taken the
Merrimac in tow under direction of Ad-
miral Schleys He said that the ad.
miral had signaled upon starting to
ask If there was coal enough to carry
him to Key West, to which he had re
sponded in the affirmative.
The Coal Question.
On the next day he had reported IL
response to an inquiry that he had Goa,
sufficient for two days of full steam.
ing and for four days of moderate
steaming. He was then dispatched tc
Newport News, reporting to Admiral
Sampson on the way. He had told Ad-
miral Sampson, he said, that the flying
squadron was about thirty miles west
of Santiago. In response to question
from the admiral, he said he did not
know what 1t was doing there. In de
failing the trip westward toward Key
West, the witness told of the breaking
of the Iale's hawser ON the Merrimac
He said this had caused delay.
what was the difliculty?" asked
Captain Lemly.
Improper securing of hawser on the
MerTimac"
'Was 1t due to tempestuous weather
or nOty'
mot mt ALL"
Mr.. Hanna read the following extract
from Admiral Schley's report of Feb
IS to the committee on naval affairs il
reference to the letter from the secre
tnry of the navy of Feb 6. 1899, begin
ming: after having been informed by
the scouts commanded by such officers
as Sigsbee, Jewell and Wise that al
though they had all been off Santiago
de Cuba for week, they had seer
nothing of II 1.-THE Spanish fleet and
knew nothing of its movements or its
whereabouts. etc" He then asked Cap
tain Wise If he had made such com
munication to the admiral.
Il did not" was the response.
Saw No Spanish Wnrships.
In response to questions from Mr.
Rayner witness said that he gave Ad
nliral Schley no information concern
ing the Spanish fleet. All the informa
ton he had he gave TO Captain Sigsbee
He said he had been from the 22d t
the 2thh trying to get in touch with the
enemy. He had seen only the masts
of small vessel in Santiago harboi
md could not distinguish what it was
He had sent no one on shore to try tt
establish communication.
& The witness had said that Captain
Sigsbee had taken the dispatch begin
ming Get in touch with the enemy"
The court through Admiral Dewe,
asked, Was It your duty or that OF
x captain Sigsbee to convey the informa
ton in the dispatch referred TO to Com
modorc SchleyT
II think 1t was Captain Sigsbee's, a.
he went Immediately on duty. and
was intercepted by orders from tn,
commodore to take the Melrimac il
tow"
Mr. Rayner continued his questions
uevoting himself especially to the sig
nAling between the Yale and the flag
ship. The witness said he was sure
that on May 26, when he hailed the
Texas, he had not passed within hail
Ing distance of the Brooklyn, being a
mile and half distant.
Mr.. Rayner read from report made
an May 30 by Admiral Sampson in
which he stated that Captain Wise had
told him that he believed Santiago har.
Dor to be strongly fortified. "Is that
trueT Mr. Rayner asked.
1T is was the reply.
Yale Not Fired On.
In reply to an inquiry from the court
the witness said that the land batter.
les did not fire upon the Yale while
that vessel was accommodating the har-
Dor. He also said that, even though
ne had been the senior officer while of
santiago prior to the arrival of Captain
Cotton, he had not commanded Cap.
tain Sigsbee to give Commodore Schley
the Information which he CNNise) had
given to him (Sigsbee).
ibid you not direct Captain Sigsbee
to give to Commodore Schley the in.
formation that you had received from
the navy department with regard to
the Whereabouts of the Spanish squad
ron?v
II did not"
At this point Captain Wise was ex.
cused, and Admiral Cotton was recall
ed TO make verbal corrections i'm the
testimony previously given by him.
Leutenant Spencer S. Wood. who
commanded the dispatch boat Dupont
during the Spanish war, was the next
witness.
Lieutenant Wood related the partic
nlars of his mission as dispatch car
fier from Admiral Sampson, lying a,
Key West, to Admiral Schley, who was
of Cienfuegos. He had left Key West
on May 20, carrying dispatches Of
which the Iowa carried duplicates, ant
had reached Cienfuegos several hours
in advance of the Iowa.
As1x I.