Evening star., 1901-11-06
Mr.. RAYNER ARGUES
Continued from First Page.)

meter, and was not correct in recording
sound for distance Of more than thirty
yards. At any rate the message that the
Scorpion did receive, and which has been
re-echoed to us by Commander Mark from
the Philippines, was what? That there was
al insurgent camp in the vicinity of Glen
fuegos? Oh, no. That a signal code had
been agreed upon with the friendly natives?
Oh no. These were all mysteries that II
was not proper to communicate to the com.
mander of the flying squadron. Instead Oh
that dull thud fell upon his listening and
anxious ear. No news of the Spaniards'
was the thrilling Intelligence that he re-
ceived. and with it the Eagle and her m ega-
phone went on her way rejoicing, and the
Marblehead sped to the presence Of the
commander-in-chief at Key West with this
profound secret buried in the bosom of her
fearless commander.
What was said in this message about
Cuban camp in the neighborhood of Glen
fuegos? What was said about the signal
code having been agreed upon with the
friendly natives? Not word That was
mysterious secret, not proper to commu-
nicate, and all the news that he did get
was that there was no news at all. That
was the thrilling intelligence that the Eagle
gave through her megaphone, and then
went on her way rejoicing, and the Marble
head, with this deadly and profound secret
in the bosom of her fearless commander.
sailed away. That left Commodore Schley
as absolutely ignorant Of every circum-
stance regarding that matter as it was pos
sible for any man to be.
''On this specification there is not
thread upon which my learned brothers can
ask for condemnation. Commodore
Schley did everything in his power to meet
the situation as he found it,
Mr. Rayner referred to the testimony of
a number of witnesses in relation to the
nature OF the surf that existed on the coast
at Cienfuegos during the time the flying
squadron was there, and said that he would
not take the time to read all this testimony,
but would insert it in his argument; in fact
n nrSi1
that kind in the argument, which he would
not trouble the court to hear in detail at
this time. Coming to the testimony of
Lieut.. Hood. who was in command of the
Hawk, and brought dispatch No. to Com
modore Schley, Mr.. Rayner said:
Lieut.. Hoods Testimony,
I will not say anything more about it,
1 do not like it," referring to the testi-
mony of Lieutenant Hood II do not think
anybody else likes that testimony II 1
were in any other court I would not hesi-
tate to put it very much stronger Lieu
tenant Hood has gotten himself in a situa-
tion IN which l do not think it is possible
for him to clear himself"
Mr.. Rayner then said that Mr.. Hood s
testimony rather implicated the COM
mander-in-chief Of the North Atlantic
squadron than Commodore Schley. Lieu
tenant Hood had said that he had verbal
instructions to carry to Commodore Schley
structions that he carried to him. Mr.. Ray
ner did not think it was possible that that
could have been the case, especially when
SO careful man as the commander-in-
chief of the North Atlantic squadron was
giving those instructions.
Now, he said, that the Information that
he gave Admiral Schley about the squad
ron being at Santiago definite and
that he had no doubt about it. You can
not believe a word of that. It is impos-
sible. 1t is impossible that any one and
above all the COMMUNICATIVE of the
North Atlantic squadron should have sent
a dispatch by Hood and then have given
him a verbal instruction directly opposite
in effect to the instructions contained in
the dispatch itself. His testimony is more
against the commander-in-chief than 1t is
against Commodore Schley. These verbal
instructions stated that the commander-in-
chief was absolutely certain that the Span
ism fleet was in Santiago. These statements
bear upon their face the impress of their
own inaccuracy, to put it very mildly.
Without casting the slightest imputa-
ton upon any officer of the American feet.
with due appreciation of the heroic and
gallant conduct of every man of them from
admiral to ensign. with a heart full of
throbbing gratitude for the immortal serv-
ice that they rendered to their country, in
the hearing of this illustrious court dig
nifed by the presence of men whose names
are emblaZoned upon the pages of American
history, l do declare upon my honor that
Admiral Schley was the victim of an un-
fortunate combination of circumstances
that left him in total darkness as to the
location of the Spanish fleet, and that never
gave him ray of penetrating light until
under his own unaided efforts. with un
swerving zeal and un1agging devotion to
the republic, amid the ringing cheers CT
morning of the 10Th of May. the Cristobal
Colon in the harbor of Santiago.
The Run to Santiago.
Mr.. Rayner then took up the third speci-
fcation regarding the run from Cienfuegos
TO Santiago, and remarked humorously that
as he was not impeded by any colliers OF
small craft he would go very quickly from
Cienfuegos to Santiago. He said that with
the exception of the testimony of Hood,
Potts and Bristol great care had been
taken by the witnesses in stating facts. In
fact, he had never seen. more fidelity, with
those exceptions, on the part of any wit
ness on the stand. He spoke of the crit
icism that had been made of the COM
mOdore because he had not detached the
Eagle Vixen and collier during that trip
The testimony was one on the fact that
the fleet had made all the possible sped
consistent with keeping the Eagle the
Vixen and the collier Merrimac with them.
He admitted that the battle ships them
selves could have made a quicker journey
had they not taken these vessels along.
He said that some of the testimony CRITICS.
ed the use of Ardois signals by the fleet
shown that these signals could not be read
at distance of four or five miles. That
fact rendered that testimony of no conse-
quence.
He here commented upon the specitica-
tions. and said that they had been made to
include everything that could possibly have
been criticised.
The Coal Supply.
He then passed to the sixth specification
in regard to the coal supply and quoted lib
orally from the testimony of Captain Mil
Ter. who was in command Of the collier
Merrimac, and from other witnesses who
had testified in relation to the coal. He
said that the question before the court Was
not one of difference of opinion tnat
might exist between different officers, but
the question was whether Commodore
Schley had used his best judgment and ha1
made his greatest effort in the light of bis
Judgment under the circumstances he met.
He quoted Captain Cook and paid him a
high compliment for the dlrectnecs of his
testimony. He said he did not want to i'm
peach the credibility Of other witnesses and
would not criticise their manner Of testify
ing except in the case of those he had
already referred to.
He read extracts from the testimony of
Captain Cotton in relation to the coaling