New-York tribune., 1901-11-07

have adopted different course? It is easy enough
at this hour pass criticism upon the conduct OF
the campaign. Ite question, however. Is not 10
determine what is the condition of our minds TO-
day. but what was the condition OF Admiral Schley
mind the hour when the events took place we
know that the Spanish feet at Santiago on
the 18th of May. but that day the whole world
was doubtful upon that subject Upon this branch
of the investigation stand by the testimony of the
Cuban pilot, by the information conveyed by the
Adua. by the conversation undoubtedly had with
Captain Sigsbee, by the unntentional failure upon
the part of Captains Wise and Jewell to convey TO
Admiral schiey the purport of the messages
they had received. And, what Is more than all. L
stand by the plat the chasing capacity of the
ships with the coal hand. which has been fled
in this case-an impershable document so far as
this controversy is concerned because it exonerates
the Admiral from the slightest criticism or CEN
| sure And standing upon this evidence. 1 plead
| dict from this tribunal"
Mr.. Rayner then took up specification No. A. COW
ering 'the circumstances attending the arrival of
the Flying Squadron off Santiago the reasons for
! its retrograde turn westward and departure from
off Santiago and the propriety thereof
IMPEACHES sIGSBEE'S TESTIMONY.
Mr. Rayner referred at length to the meeting of
Commodore Schley with Captain Sigsbee. then in
command of the St Paul on the arrival of the
Flying Squadron off Santiago. Speaking OF the
| captain he said:
witness stand. nor is there a more gallant and
he has got himself into a predicament because
against him is an &c YER afray I held OF %t6
Commodors sehley off Santiago and which abIo. %
did Let me see whether | am right about this.
Because this my brothers % consider the }6a most vba i
schley got there? He met the Yale and d. the is5 st.
CAPTAIN Wise Who % was on the % St f PagG Mea SaP{ain @
Rot man 'tf" Of them except sfgsbee communicated
with Commodore schley. 1 am not blaming them them
hination of Circumstances unfortunate for the
Gommodore that f2 is made The vicm ~ Way ce4s ne
/ of the / cannot understand
Mr.. Rayner said these vessels were scouting
around there for six or seven days. and did not
make any effort to communicate with the insur-
gents.
Captain I-emIy interrupted Mr.. Rayner. asking TO
whom he referred when lie said that the evidence
showed them have been there six or seven days
Mr.. Rayner-Captain Sigsbee got there the
2st Wise there three days
Captain Lemly-That is not six seven days.
Mr. Rayner-That is right; correct me- but don't
get mad about it.
Captain Lemly--Oh. 1 get mad 1 may get
angry. but l bit mad bit
Mr. Rayner-My recollection is that Captain Sigs-
bee was there for six days and Wise for three or
four days. I do not recoect how long Captain
Jewell there. Those ships were there for the
purpose OF finding out II the Spanish fleet in
Santiago the purpose that Commodore SchIey
was there for. They did not find out. Commodore
Schley did. They go free and Commodore
Schley is to be condemned
Mr. Rayner then referred the departments dis
patch of May 10, which Admiral (tf1en CaptaIn) Cot
ton testified to delivering board the Brooklyn
and in which the positive statement was made that
the Spanish fleet in the harbor Santiago.
and said that Il certain it never had been re-
ceived by the Commodore. He also said that Ad-
miral Cotton had himself produced the dispatch
while on the stand but that 1T accidentally
brought out. He also asserted that Admiral Cotton
had not said positively that he had delivered it
the Commodore
Returning again Captain sigsbee's testimony
he said that, IN addition Admiral Schlay. Messrs
Graham Cronan. Marble and Hare each and all had
testified that Captain Sigsbee said that the Span
ish feet was not in Santiago Harbor. Not only
that" continued Mr.. Rayner but on the 18th OF
May Captain sigsbee wrote official report that
the day before. when he saw the American vessels
going eastward. he thought il might be the Span
sh squadron going into Santiago"
JCSTlFNING THE RETROGRADE MOVEMENT.
Mr.. Rayner said no reasoning could relieve Cap
tain Sissbee from this unfortunate failure Of his
recollection. No charges him with telling
untruth No man would dare do IL. He has just
failed 70 re2ollect The Impression upon ybody
the Admiral spoke TO the subject that the
feet was not in Santiago II Captain siesbee had
not said TO Commodore Schley that the Spanish
feet not there. Commodore Schley never would
have gone the westward what is called his
fetrograde movement. More than that, Captain
Sigsbee put Cuban pilot board Commodore
Schey's ship and that pilot impressed the Cornmo-
dore with the iGea that the Spanish ships could
not get IN there. All these things created III the
mind of Commodore schey the indellbe impression
that the Spanish feet not in the harbor of
Santiago. This absolutely justified his movement
to the Every incident around there. Captain
solute failure 90 communicate. captain cotton :
failure TO communicate. because the dispatche,
ne received could have been delivered
to Commodore Schley aI the time. as they were
dated afterward. Captain Sgsbees positive assur-
ances. the putting Of the cuban pilot on board
~ q tbe rnfId !" ~ Gommodora Scbev + want coal
his cry. L have to get coal L cannot coal
here | have broken down collier My brother
for word But there is a falsehood on the face
saying that he had worthless collier, because. for
captain Miller. she absolutely helpless with
could not coal; with the Texas which because of
her projecting sponsors could not coal; with ooth
on hand get halfway to Martinique; with thg
positive assurance of cap5ain Sss0ff se ne
in Santiago. ne did the only thing ne c%9Hla %
he never went direction mile further than
was necessary for when the weather cleared and
turned to his position off Santiago. discovered the
CrstobaI Colon. gave battle on July ana stiuSk ii
from Spain her ancient possessions upon the face
of the American continent
MR.. RAYNER's PERORAT1oN.
Mr. Rayner closed follows:
have now briefly presented this case as il APP |
pears to me IN genera 0uLhe Iokan Mace in
the history Of the world 1t seemed TO my mind
that this case had hardly opened with the testi-
nony of Captain Higglnson before 1t commenced TO
totter. and from day TO day IT'S viso4a[y & i1lir ti
last witness, put upon the stand the entire
structure collapsed, and now, when the witnesses
crew of the oregon and Admiral schley have mar |
rated their unyarnished tale. the whole tenement
with all OF it's compartments; from It's foundation
turret has disintegrated, ana Hes mere IKE