The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-31
SAMPSON WOULD NOT
RECEIVE FIRST
REPORT.
Continued from First Page.)

dld. mat was the controlling one OF all.
did you mention that manoeuvre il
your report?"
No"
"Did you have each of three various
reasons in mind at that timer"
Probably all of them and Others.
The Judge Advocate then took up Adj
miral Schley's report of the battle made
to the Department, dated Guantanamo
Bay, July 6, 1898, and he was questioned
concerning the statements made therein
attention being called to the statement
that after the Viscaya had struck her
colors the signal was made to cease firing
and then the following sentence:
THE Oregon having proved vastly
faster than the other battleships, she and
the Brooklyn, together with the Texas
and another which proved to be your
flagship, continued westward in pursuit
of the Colon, which had run close in
shore, evidently seeking some good spot
to beach if she should fail to elude her
pursuers'
'fYou wrote that?" asked Capt. Lemly.
A REPORT THAT WAS RETURNED.
Eyes replied Admiral Schley, "and l
can explain the whole thing if you will
permit me to introduce a preliminary
report made that was returned?"
Captain Lemly: 81 have no objection
to your preliminary report unless it comes
under the rule that it was not sent"
Admiral Schley: ut was sent and was
returned
Captain Lemly: Il think have right
to continue now and not have them insert
other evidence at this time
A long discussion ensued over the adj
mission of this report, Mr.. Rayner con-
tending for its admission a nd Captain
Lemly charging that Mr.. Rayner's pur-
pose was to interfere with the cross-ex-
animation. After recess Captain Lenly
submitted the report and the court de-
cided it could not be read aloud.
The Admiral then recounted his CONVEX
saton with Admiral Sampson who, he
said, handed the letter back to him with
the statement that he (Sampson) was
COMMUNICATIVE chief and that he (Schley)
had omitted a very important detail in
the report in that it failed to show The
presence of the New York.
Il felt at the time Admiral Schley
went on that the victory was big enough
for all and l made this (his report of the
battle that. has been published) out of
generosity and because l knew that iffhe
New York had been present she would
have done as good work as any other yes
sell
After a few more questions CAPTAIN
Lemly announced the close fthe cross
examination. He turned to Mr. Rayner,
who said. "We have not single qne3-
ton
1.-THE court has few" said Admiral
Dewey.
SAMPSON THOUGHT 1T GENEROUS.
At the close o fthe cross examination
there was placed in evidence the telegram
sent by Admiral Schley to the Depart
ment, dated July 10th, saying in sub
stance that he did not desire to assume
entire credit for the victory of July 3,
and that the victory belonged to the fleet
under the command of Admiral Sampson.
In reply to a question from Captain
Parker he said he had taken this dis
patch to Admiral Sampson. "who stated
that he was very glad l had sent it and
thought it was very generous
Who was generous
Il. Of course
The first of the court s questions re-
lated to the blockade of Cienfuegos and
was as follows:
While off Cienfuegos could you see the
shore to the westward so distinctly as to
form an idea of the feasibility of making
a landing there?" 81
The witness answered this question in
the affirmative and in reply to the newt
question said he had seen no fishermen
or fishing boats on shore with whom he
could have communicated.
Also replying to question of the court
he said he could not recollect at all the
conversation between himself and Lieut..
Hood, to which the latter had testified.
Had Admiral Cervera's fleet left San
tiago and gone to the westward al the
same time that you left Cienfuegos, could
1t not have passed between your fleet
and the shore without being seen by
you?"
AT night it might possibly have done
So but think not in the day time"
why, on May 26, did you make your
stopping point twenty miles south of
instead of the mouth of the
harbor?"
idlu my course lot JnaC point,
that if the enemy should leave
he would go to the southwark
and that point would give me wider
horizon for observing his movements
Was it not possible to begin your
of Santiago May 25 and main
tain it for few days and still have coal
left to enable you to reach Key
West ?"
Yes, if I had then known as l knew
subsequently, that the Spanish fleet was
there.
Did not the order under which you
were acting require you to remain off
POSSIBLY YES, but | do not think that
the order given me was to denaffve me
of all discretion in the matter<if heard
to the contrary" -
Was not the condition. at Santiago
May rs such as to Variant you in talk
ing considerable risk I'D coaling the ships
OF your squadron"
L think that tho risks would have
been very great /too great in my judg-
mcnt. We might have lost a collier"
Did not C9pt. Cotton inform you
that the HAYWARD had coaled at Mole
St Nicholas fand that one large ship at a
time could coal there in ordinary
Il 90 nof recall that. His information
n IN of Oh