The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-25

on the brooklyn was bent at an angle Of
30 degrees by coming in collision with
one of these GOLFERS. In other words
the problem presented at Cienfuegos,
twas one that had disturbed the navies
of the world for fifty years"
He then spoke of the arrival of Cap
tain McCalla on May oath, bringing in
formation concerning the shore signals
from the Cuban insurgents. He said
that when the Captain came aboard he
asked have you seen any signals?"
Il said what do you mean?''
He then asked if / had seen three
lights at night and three horses in the
day time.
II said / had seen the lights and he
said they were trying to communicate
with you. / expressed surprise and
asked who had made the arrangements.
McCalla replied that he had done So l
asked why they had not been communi
Gated to me. but that he did not know.
then told him to make a search of the
shore. which he did reporting that the
Spanish feet was not there"
This information the witness said, had
been decided about p. M, May oath
and tdwarG O'clock the squadron
formed column and steamed toward
Santiago He said that the signals
made by the fleet were not made until
the fleet was IA miles from Cienfueg0s
and could not have been seen. He then
retcld the details of the voyage. ut
was dirty night he said with
lowering sky. I remember that when 1
looked out at the port hole twenty feet
above, the spray came in freely. Of
course this was not serious for big YES
sells, but it was for the smaller ones
He defended his course in keeping the
vessels together-holding the faster ves-
sells for the slower. 1--WE proceeded as
unit he said. and l hold that to do
otherwise would be unmilitary and un-
wise in changing base with a fleet.
hold that useful auxiliaries and supplies
should never be abandoned except under
the greatest necessity
IMPOSSIBLE TO COAL MAY 5.
Taking up the coaling question he said
that it was absolutely impossible to coal
on May 25th II watched the situation
closely, he said, "and felt that / was
more capable than any other man of
judging the situation in that respect.
ION the Goth the weather was still rough,
especially in the morning. He told also
of sending Commander Switzerland away
with the Eagle and said that it was done
because Switzerland had signalled that
he was dangerously short of coal. He
said that Switzerland had neither pro-
tested against leaving nor insisted that he
could coal. He might have taken ON
little coal in boats, but he would have
burnt it as fast as he took it on
Referring to his course in leaving Glen
fuegos he said it was laid so as to give
him the widest horizon. my course pro-
ected," he said would have carried me
to China if there had been no islands in
the way" He spoke of the necessity of
acting on his own responsibility-of hav-
ing to act without any private information
form Havana. Therefore, he said, Il
had to do a good deal from guesswork
Sometimes | was right and sometimes
wrong.
Admiral Schley then told of meeting the
dispatch boats st. Paul Minneapolis and
Yale. He said at that time there was a
heavy sea on He remembered Captain
Cook saying to him on the passage over
tina the had never seen more motion on
the brooklyn, ana IndC some Oh the
youngsters werfe seasick
EXCUSES FOR SIGSBEE.
Captain Sigsbee came on board" con-
tinued the witness, land | think my recol-
lection is almost vivid enough to describe
his dress. | recollect distinctly that he
had on rubber boots and an old block
aiding cap which we all more or less wore,
a heavy blouse suit. met him at the
gangway. | was very glad to see him,
as he was, of course, to see me. The first
thing I asked Sigsbee when he came over
the side, and l want to say bfore | make
this statement that do not believe that
Captain Sigsbee would mistake anything
Off his commission. / do not believe he
s capable Of stating what is not true
think in this instance his recollection
is at fault and not his veracity. l said
n here?'" He said, mo, they are not
in here He said: '"They are not
here; they are only reported here" |
said to him, have any of the other yes
sells seen them, the Yale or the Minneap-
olish" He said, "No, they have not;
they have assured me So" and upon that
was the assurance to which | referred
when | spoke of the assurance of such
men as Wise and Jewel and Sigsbee
At the morning session Lieutenant w.
B. Wells was recalled and Captain Lem
ly attempted to put in evidence a dis
patch prepared by Commodore Schley on
May oath. which was not sent. Mr.. Han
ma contended for it's admission on the
ground that it indicated hesitation at a
critical moment but the court ruled 1t
ont.
GENEROUS TO THE VANQUISHED.
Major Murphy detailed an incident in
which Commodore Schley figured at the
close of the battle of July 3rd Major
Murphy said:
when they were preparing a cutter to
take Captain Cook to the Colon to re-
ceive the surrender of that ship, the Off
GERS ard many of the men were gathered
forward in the neignborhood of the fore