Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-11-06
VOYAGE TO SANTIAGO.

1
| tain said, was better than Of less ex
| perienced officers, an experience whlci
| had been gained In command "undei
| circumstances or every nature IN th'
| Arctic, around both capes. on eithei
sea and under every sun he was
| Can't Parker continued, "at least al
| likely TO be as correct as those youne
| officers who for the first time In then
lives were given command OF small
| boat"
Taking the fleet to the southwark
from Santiago, May Z6 Capt Parker
detailed the meeting with the SCOUT
boats, and said that the condemnation
of the commodore for not communicat-
ing with Capts. Jewell and Wise were
puerile. "All that Wise had to do, he
said, was TO signal that he had I'M
portant information, and he would have
been asked to come on board II Is the
business, the clear duty Of any supor-
dinate officer, to make known 70 su-
perior any information he may nave
sIGsBEE "CURIoUsLY BLIND"
In the absence Of information by the
captains OF the Yale and Minneapolis,
Capt. Parker held, Commodore Sehley
had right to suppose that Capt. Slgs-
bee had given all the information TO be
had from the scouts. Capt. Parker
said that officer was 'curiously blind
not purposely blind, but ',curiously
blind" lie not only had not hon able
20 find out anything about the Colon
but when she was there ana in pain
sight. on May &c. clear. bright day.
when sigebee was off In the harbor
sketching, he failed 10 see her. This
Is 10 me one OF the mysteries OF the
campaign" Continuing, he said that
with the information given Schley had
acted wisely in turning back to Key
West. Whether he acted wisely and
his Judgment is sound is for you, gem
temen of the court, to say, not with
the information that has come since,
but with the light that the commodore
had at that time
Going back TO the cruise to Cienfue-
Cos, Capt. Parker referred 10 the send
ing away OF the Eagle. He said that
Commodore Schley had not sent that
vessel away from choice but because OF
his great need for auxiliary cruisers.
Capt Parker referred 20 The Dispatch
from the department received at Mole
st. Nicholas, May 26; 'Pr)ceed at once
and inform Schley and alio senior Of
ilcer present off Santiago" etc. He
read from the dispatch, THAT dispat h
does not contemplate at all that Com
modore Schley Is at Santiago" he n
tinued. III IL TO inform Commodore
Schey. and also the commanding Of
flcer on Santiago. SO that at that time
the department evidently did net con-
template that Commodore Scbley had
arrived at Santiago and yet we have
heard II said he was due there on the
oath.
QUOTES FROM DISPATCH.
Quoting from the dispatch, Capt. Par
ker read 1.-THE departments informa-
ton indicates the Spanish division is
still at Santiago. Is there anything
positive about that?' he asked. III
the department had chosen 10 say that
the Spanish squadron was at Santiago,
that would have been another thing.
but II did not say that. There were
still some doubts apparently in the
mind OF the department on that sub
ject."
Referring at this point to the testi-
mony Of Capt. Sigsbee. Capt. Parker
said II was not necessary TO impeach
anybody's veracity. But slippery
memory, after all these years, is very
unsafe thing to go by he continued,
"and the memory of four or FIVE per-
sons as to what Sigsbee said is better
than that OF sigsbee. I think the court
can be sure that Capt, Slgsbee did say
to Commodore Schley when he came
aboard the Brooklyn that the Dons
are not there"
DEPARTMENTS EXPECTATIONS.
Again quoting from the dispatch
Capt. Parker read: THE department
looks TO you 10 ascertain facts" "DIf
not the commodore ascertain Tacts?"
he asked, and that the enemy therein
does not leave without decisive action"
he continued reading. well. was
there not decisive action?" he asked.
"The poor old Spanish admiral came
out with his flags flying gayly at his
on that Sunday morning.
and before | o'clock Of that day he saw
his ships on the beach, burning blowing
up and all destroyed He came on
board the American ship without shoes
Tor his feet and hat for his head. In a
pair Of drawers and an undershirt. De- |
risiye action Was there ANYTHING |
that was more decisive than that?"
Capt. Parker took up Commodore |
schley's dispatch forwarded by the |
and defended the position TAX
N by the commodore in that message. |
He then referred TO the sentence in |
which the commodore Informed the de-
,artment that he had been unable 10 |
hey orders earnestly as all have
triven." III a subordinate informs us
hat he Is unable 10 obey orders we do |
Tot charge him with disobedience. We
nay censure him for bad Judgment
'ut for nothing more serious. Failure
'nder such circumstances r. not ALWAYS
lisobedience We can all look back
md see how we could have done dif-
erently.
HAD NO ORDERS.
Now I say that Commodore schley
lever had any orders. II was merely
suggestion as 20 what he should do.
ie was to find out II that squadron |
vas there. and 20 see that Il Did not
cave without decisive action. Even II |
/ is true that the commodore commit
ed gross errors Of judgment. which I
10 not admit. he had no motive but 10
10 his whole duty. as from the begin
ling he had always done II. no more,
10 less"
COMMANDMENT OF THE COLON.
Concluding bis remarks for the day
APT. Parker said:. THAT brings us 10
discussion Of the so-called recon.
Iaissance. which | think can be sum.
ned up In a very few words. We have
lad the testimony OF all the gentlemen
Who were clothed with responsibility In
he case. that they could and they
gould, etc. Well, perhaps they would.
they could have gone in