The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-08

Washington, October An the Schley
naval court of inquiry, Mr.. Rayner,
chief of counsel for Admiral Schiey,
asked Judge Advocate Lemly to sum
, mon Admiral Sampson as d witness in
J the case. The request grew out Of a
difference in the construction of a SEN
tence in Admiral SIMPSONS letter to
Commodore Schley, written from Key
West. May goth, while Commodore
Schley, with the flying squadron, lay off
Cienfuegos. This is known as the
Dear Schley" letter and in it as print
ed in the navy department documents
supplied to the senate the Admiral said,
after expressing his opinion that not
withstanding the report that the Span
ish squadron was in Santiago it was
better to coEtinue to Cientue-
COS and Havana, I'VE shall continue to
hold Havana and Santiago until we re-
ceive more positive information"
y During the examination Of Command
er Raymond p Rogers this dispatch
was under consideration when Mr.. Ray
ner expressed the opinion that the word
Santiago had been inadvertently used
Dby the cOmmander-in-chief, assuming
that he meant to use the word Cienfu-
egas, as better corresponding with the
context. AS the document was printed
there was a parenthetical note to which
Admiral Schley's initials were attached,
saying that evidently the wrong city
had been mentioned. Mr.. Rayner ask
ed Judge Advocate Lemly to make this
concession. but the latter declined 10
do so. saying that he would produce
the original of Admiral SIMPSONS dis
match tn nrOyp that he had said SANTA
go.
Then Mr.. Rayner said: II cannot take
that word Santiago to mean anything
but C~ienfuegOs. 1t is an imputatio1
upon Commodore Schley and L cannot
permit it to rest without summOnins
the author of that Dispatch
Captain Lemly responded: Il have
told you once before you can summon
any one you please"
''Then," retorted Mr.. Rayner: Sum-
4mon Admiral Sampson"
This occurred only a short time be-
fore the adjournment of the court for
the day and was the subject of more
character after the days work was
concluded. Mr.. Rayner would only
say that he would insist upon the 'ad-
miral being summoned unless the cor
rection was conceded.
THE COAL SUPPLY.
Lieutenant Dyson when court open
ed gave information as to how long the
supply of coal on hand May Goth would
have held out under forced draft. II
showed that on May 18th the Brook
lyn's supply of coal was 952 tons, the
Iowa's 7S4 tons. the Texas 40S tons and
the Narblehead 122 tons. He said that
on May oath the Brooklyn had coal
enough aboard to have remained on
blockade duty off Santiago for twenty
s. H., OIL 4han 70 have rnfIrrna1 ~
Key West; the Massachusetts enough
to remain seventeen days and then go
to Key West; the Iowa enough for
eleven days; the Texas seven days and
the Marblehead one day.
Mr.. Rayner brought out information
concerning the time the coal on each
OF the vessels would have lasted on
forced draft, in chasing h enemy's
vessels, taking the amount of coal on
each on May 18th and leaving sufficient
coal to return to Key West. Mr.. Ray
ner read the information from Mr.. py-
sons tabulated statement showing that
the Iowa would have consumed 243
tons Of coal a day, the Massachusetts
$50 tons. the Texas 160 tons and the
Marblehead II tons. That estimate
would, he said, give the Brooklyn 2S
days chase, the Iowa a chase OF IL
days. the Massachusetts 1.8 days, the
Texas three-fourths of a day, the Mar
blehead two-tenths Of a day.
COMMANDER ROGERS TESTIFIES.
Commander Rogers testified that be-
: lore leaving Key West on May goth he
had a conference with Sampson. He
was told by Admiral Sampson that he
had received information from the de-
partment at Washington that the Span
ish fleet under Cervera was probably IN
the harbor at Santiago. He had, how
ever. not been informed Of any secret
code of communication with the Gu
ban insurgents e Cienfuegos.
Commander Rogers thought the Iowa
could have coaled May 26th.
Commander Rogers related two OF
three instances in which the ships OF
the flying squadron were cleared for
action upon signal from the flagship
Brooklyn before May 31st when vessels
were discerned in the distance. In
each ease the vessels proved TO be
American ships. Each time the signals
were to clear for action and make specs
of twelve knots an hour. He also told