The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-09
Ghe Wlessewer.
Entered at the Postoffce at Whining
ton. N. c.. as S~ccond-Class
Matter April Is. 1879.
TESTIMONY OF CHIEF SPANISH
COMMANDERS.

RA@ga&6S0 Og AN
hating and prosecuting him. The ma
val gang is engaged in a most dis
reputable and disgusting piece Of work.
The whole plan and trend is to convict,
to destroy him. But the court will not
settle the question. Their judgment
will be surely reversed by the Ameri-
can people If it is against him. The
paddock order of Secretary Long to
stop talking of Schley and Sampson
among the naval men is rather late in
the day. as the most of the official
ringsters had already about exhausted
themselves in bitter d~eliverances adj
verse to Schley. 1t is a case of locking
the door after the horse has been stolen.
The nav department a been guilty
spirit. A recent special (31st JULY to
the Charleston News and Courier, from
its correspondent at washington, gives
a new phase to h question. 1t is that
there is much change going on now
among naval officials who are getting
over on the Schley side of the fence.
The special says:
Some of these statements place the
navy department in a very embarrass-
ing attitude before the country. No
tably the statement from Captain o
ley D. Evans, explaining away Schley's
alleged disobedience of orders at San
tiago, also the letter from Admiral
Sampson to Admiral Schley, in which
the former directed the latter to delay
departure to Santiago. This very i'm
portant' letter, it appears, was sup
pressed by the navy department and
had never appeared in the public rec
ords."
The prominent hostile critics of
Schley cannot whirl about and get
right, for they are committed to wrong.
A funny episode is given at length by
the correspondent. A number of naval
officials were together the day before
the paddock" order. The talk was Of
Schley. OF the eight or ten present one
was in a distant part of the world when
the battle Of Santiago was fought. He
said he was absolutely non-partisan.
Before he went to Manila Schley was
in high standing with "the powers"
He avs that was before the strategy
board was organized. I la always
understood that Schiey was regarded
as n of the ablest and most courage
Gus officers in the navy and his judg-
ment was considered equal, if not su-
perior to, many of those who outrank-
ed him."
All the crowd was against Schley
and told the inquirer all about his bad
behavior. They were replied to by him.
He said:
w all know that prior to the battle
of Santiago that no one ever charged
Schley with being a coward. All of us
here know Frank Cook, who was cap
tain OF the Brooklyn. We also know
that Cook does not Know how to COM
mand a gun-shy ship. If there.is a
daring and man in the navy
he is Captain Cook, and 1 believe tina
he would disobey orders before he
would turn tail and run way rom an
enemy. Now. just for my onl salts
faction, I want you fellows who were
down at Santiago and saw the man.
'euvres of the Brooklyn while in action,
to tell me honestly what you hin of
.Schley's famous loop movement"
None saw it. but their criticism was
on hear-say evidence.
Captain Diaz Moreu. commander of
the Spanish ship Colon, is in Madrid
and has expressed himself to the cor
respondent of the New York Journal.
He said:
"Al the American officers, without
exception, did their duty in the nava
battle Off Santiago. So did we, al
though it is certain that we were van
pushed by superiority of force. 1t is
absurd and unpatriotic to make any
exception in the case of Admiral Schley.
t. - I---I ~ 1900
in the thick of the fight throughout.
She was at the mouth of the harbor
when we tried to pass out and engaged
us with a terrific fire, doing frightful
damage to the end. In the pursuit of
the Cristobal Colon we surrendered to
the Brooklyn 45 miles west of San
tiago.
'The Brooklyn was the first to en-
counter us coming out and the first to
lead in the pursuit, and she kept up
the lead, with Oregon vastly aiding.
The Brooklyn landed a shell just ahead
, Of my ship and. with the Oregon help
ing her there was nothing left for me
to do but run ashore.
THE Brooklyn's conduct was brave,
hence Commodore Schley was brave.
Schley was on post where he was put
by Sampson. After the battle COM
menced each commander acted
according to circumstances, and events
show hat the Brooklyn bore a brave
part. I should say that Schley was not
only brave but very competent.
"Of all the American ships the Brook
Ign was the most exposed to our fire
and to that of our batteries. Schley's
own report was a model of plain. sail
or-like and gentlemanly statements.
Schley directed n a our officers retain
their personal effects. A coward is
never generous. The suggestion of
cowardice probably comes from
towards"
As is known Admiral Cervera, the
noble commander Of the Spanish fleet
has spoken in high admiration of Ad.
-miral Schley as a gentleman and g
naval commander. 1t was cabled tt
the New York Journal by it's Pari:
correspondent. We copy a small part
Personally I shall never forget thu
generous and courteous treatment tina
was accorded to me by the Americans
ILL.,