The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-25
SCHLEY TESTIFIES
rur ADMIRAL TAKES THE sTANI
IN HIS OWN BEHALF.
WAS RATHER A SURPRISE
ur TELLS HIS OWN STORY CLEAR.
LY AND CONCIsELY.

rattle of Santiago Thoroughly
Cone Overtime Rest Will BE Told
To-day-Siaj. Murphy Tells of
scbIey's Chivnlric Behavior to De-
teated Spaniards-Capt. Clark of
.be oregon Gives a soIdierIy Ac-
oopnt of His Part in the Santiago
Fight with a Full Measure of
Credit to the Brooklyn.
Washington, Oct. 24.-Admiral
scbI4v to-day took the stand in his
ovn behalf at the, court of inquiry
which is investigating his conduct as
commander-in-chief of the Flying
sopadron during the Santiago cam
ragn. He was summoned a few min
utes after the court convened at 2
| o'clock for the afternoon session, and
| when the court adjourned at o'clock
he apparently had gotten only we'll un-
der way in his testimony.
Cant. Charles E. Clarke, of the Ore
con had lust concluded his statement
when Mr. Rayner, rising from his seat,
said:
"T should like to have Rear Admiral
schley called" and the admiral ac-
cordingly was asked to take the stand.
II was a turn in the proceedings for
which apparently neither the members
Of the court, it's officers nor the specta-
\ tors were prepared, and a murmur OF
surprise was heard on all sides. 1t
had been expected that the admirals S
name would be reached toward the
close Of the afternoon session. There
4 were still two witnesses on his list who
4 had not been heard, and it was under
stood to be his purpose not to take the
stand until the entire list had been ex-
hausted. He, however, responded i'm
mediately to the. call and before the
+. audience was we'll aware of the fact,
he had begun his narrative of the cam
paign which terminated in the destruc-
ton of Cervera's fleet.
Mr.. Rayner introduced the testimony
of his distinguished witness by say
ing:
will you give the court name and
rank?''
Winfield Scott Schley, rear admiral,
E.s. ~, retired, at present on service
4 ii this court of inquiry"
The admiral then, in answer to a
question from his counsel proceeded to
give a careful and detailed narrative
of all the events of the campaign up
to the battle of Santiago. He had not
4 reached the stage of his testimony
where he will tell of the battle when
the court adjourned for the day.
The audience which listened to his
recital was by far the largest which
has yet gathered in the gunners work.
i shop where the court sits. All the re-
served seats were occupied. as were
the seats set apart for the public at
large. In the rear of the room stood
probably as many people as found
seats, scores of men and women stand
ing upon tables, chairs and in the win
dows, in fact anywhere from which
they could see the court.
There was no appearance of demon
stration of any kind during the ad-
mirals recital. On the contrary the
silence was almost unbroken, except
Tor the sound of the witness own voice.
Only once was there a stir in the room
which indicated any feeling on the part
ot the listeners. That was when the
ADMIRAL, detailing his conversation
WIN Admiral Sampson in the cabin of
,he New York at Key West, told how
ne had assured the commander-in-ch chief
ol feaIty to him. When the court ad-
Journed for the day many of the spec
tatois TNessed forward and shook the
admirals hand.
SehIey's Plan of Battle.
I was a commodore" the witness
pegan in response to Mr.. Rayner's re-
quest for connected narrative of the
campaign, "and was ordered to COM
mand the Flying Squadron"
he said that he had called the COM
handing officers of the vessels consti-
uung taat squadron together and then
he added:
The plan of campaign was threshed
out. l put the squadron Immediately
upon war footing. established pick
egs and patrols, and also the masking
ADMIRAL Schley outlined at this point
we plan which he had indicated to his
IuJnlihanding officers before leaving
hampton Roads. saying:
,h Durlng this time l explained to all
H commanding officers that as it
ot ~UGlu De impossible to contrive a plan
w. odttle that would meet unforeseen
ueencies, the general plan of the
bduauron would be to cruise in line of
SSattle' and its general principle would
se attack the head and leading ves-
IN i' Cohcentrating the fire upon them
a., VI ger, first, to obtain the moral ef-
c-C ana, second, to throw them into
nrta'ttuSSIon making victory over them
ssrroodoiy very much more successful
g. ,o complete. ] did that for the rea-
ali mat the older plans of battle had
0eeh TO attack centers and rear, re-
NJ ing IN the escape usually of a part
ts,1. @ch squadron. felt that the at
waa OF the head of a squadron which
tbe ~ some extent new. would involve
wss Iestruction of the whole. and that
plsi,lu5ie general plan of action as ex-
TLlied 10 them on that occasion"
me admiral detailed the target
SsT..u uee the squadron INDUCED in
res1I. Ihis practice, the admiral said.
was f.',. IN an accuracy OF fire which
sty i1lly demonstrated in the action
a. .eAs or two months later.
We, zen told OF the cruise 10 Key
m.-si ena his meetinhg there with Ad-
.'-gl sampson.
he tlAe admiral was very much worn"
res1o,',, ana necessarily so because his
Shove, 'Dillty had been great He
rr.-t4 me number OF orders. one OF
ro. vas for a division Of the two
tts ts.ions, one 20 take the north ana
he u yer the south coast OF Cuba and
Whl.. ave the preference. asked
prafs- pr preferred and he expressed a
Es tH'e Tor the Havana command.
ever me me conhdentially that which