The age-herald., 1901-10-15

FostOnce department on the groun
 postmaster.
 Colonel Dimmick favors the ret
 see the authorities here in his inter <<<<<%><%-~><<~- out what they are, and 1t is believed 1t is something with the Spanish fleet.
 Captain McCalla gave a start, threw up his hands and said:
 Communicates With Rebels.
 That Is the signal from the insurgent camp. They want to communicate with you and added, Well, I can go there l and find out at once.'
 "The commodore told him to go and get officers and added, You can send a boat across and let me know as soon as possible Then the subject of coaling came up again, and the great difficulty | we were going to have in coaling from | colliers, and Captain McCalla said: You need not be at all concerned about me. I will get coal if there's any coal to be i obtained He was always cheerful about | everything. He started from the ship al- | most immediately and said: I must get off
 | The Eagle came down in the evening and reported they had communicated with the insurgent camp. and that the | Spanish suadron was not in Cienfuegos." That information was given in positive | form, was it?
 Positive"
 Captain Cook said he recalled the ar rival of the dispatch boat Hawk on May "A with dispatches. He was told that the information was to the effect that the Spanish fleet was in Santiago. "But," he said T was not especially impressed with the fact, as had heard 1t before" He ] was, however, told that this information was more positive than any which had yet been brought. The Commodore, he said, had told him that the Hawk had brought orders to the effect that the squadron should proceed to Santiago if he (the commodore) was satisfied that the | Spaniards were not at Cienfuegos. but he said Commodore Schley had said: T am not satisfied that they are not here. still believe they are here'' If satisfied that the Spaniards were at Cienfuegos, why did you leave there?" asked MT. Hanna.
 Because of McCalla's report from the insurgent camp on shore"
 That, then, made 1t clear that the | Spaniards were not there?' Entirely"
 | Concerning the blockade of Santiago, 1 Captain Cook said that Commodore | Schley's constant idea was that the ves- sels should be kept well supplied with coal and kept moving constantly. as his theory was that the Spanish fleet would come out of the harbor. '"Why was the circular blockade not adopted?' Mir. Hanna asked
 There are many forms of blockade and I have nothing but praise for the circular blockade" replied the witness. But the idea was to get the Spaniards to come out and to have our ships moving and ready for action.'
 How did you first learn the fleet was coming out?''
 The reply to this brought Captain Cooks story of that engagement as follows:
 Cooks Story of Engagement. "I heard the executive officer call out, Clear ship for action and as he had also given directions to have the ship ready for inspection. I knew at once something was happening I went on deck immediately. There were two Span ish ships in sight. The third one was just outside the entrance and the fourth appeared immediately afterward. The fleet came out south and turned as they left the entrance to four points south west, so that they turned in our direc- yIyh T as-of had been starboarded adding a little to the northward.
 When I saw the fleet they were head ing southwest and seemed to be coming straight for the interval of the Texas and the Brooklyn. I went in the coming tower and directed the helmsman. told him what I wanted him to do was to keep straight for the feet They wavered little; sometimes they turned one way and then another.
 We shifted helm once or twice but very little indeed and finally when we were getting up fairly. close. say between 1,500 and 1000, 1t seemd to me clear that they wanted to pass between the Texas and the Brooklyn. The Texas was well on our starboard hand. and she was headed eo ehe nortiWdru dnu West"dru All snipS were carrying out the instructions of the com ommander-in-chief. and that was to head in for the entrance
 We were well to the westward and head ed to the northwest. When I saw that I ported the helm. perhaps half way over. She was swinging starboard very rapidly. The Spanish fleet was coming straight for this interval stepped out of the tower on the port side to get good look at this fleet to see just what they were going to do to our relative position, and saw they evidently put helm hard aport and were turning to the westward. We were then turning very rapidly to star board with port helm and we had turned think almost to the east The Texas was well on our starboard side. then