The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-31
CLAIM THAT SCHLEY
HAS Shifted GROUND

Taking the Brooklyn's signal book, it
is stated that this showed that the Brook
lyn gave only the two orders Clear for
action and Close up''-''a meaGer rec
crd but it is the whole story
The comment insists that the order
J"C,lose up was not seen by any ship
lrother than the Oregon unless, perhaps,
the Texas, and that it exercised no irtiu-
ence whatever upon any vessel of the
squadron. They also quote Admiral
Schey's testimony that. the BroolSyn's
charge was made in accordance with the
original plan.
SIMPSONS PLAN.
~ or the order Close up they say:
$50 this order, the second of the two
asignalled from the Brooklyn during the
battle of Santiag so to the American fleet,
was really formal Also and was given
in accordance with SIMPSONS original
plan of battle which required closing UP
with a view of sinking the Spanish yes
ksels in the entrance. Surprising as this
lis, it is shown by Admiral Schley's own
sworn testimony, and is corroborated by
the time and circumstances under which
the signal was made. 1t is even more
surprising, but it appears to be a fact,
that Admiral Schley issued no further
fleet order during the progress of the bat
tile"
The commentators next state: eff Com
modore Schey was in absolute command
during the battle. il he made any use of
his authority. he must have exercised
some control over some of the vessels
participating" Whereupon they take up
in detail the testimony of the commands
ing officers on this point and say:
wainwright. of the Gloucester, SAID
he saw no orders from the Brooklyn;
Taylor, of the Indiana said he saw no
signals from the Brooklyn; Evans, of the
Iowa. said of the Brooklyn: 4 never saw
any signal from her. ] did not vancouver
in obedience to any signals from the
Brooklyn" The commanding officer or
the Texas is dead, but the officers testi-
mony makes it clear that that she re-
ceived no orders. Speaking of this ship,
the commentators declare: THE question
is not SO much one of possible credit to,
but of possible censure of Admiral Schley
in connection with the work of that Off
Ger at the battle of Santiago The piain
truth is that Admiral Schley did not di-
rect or control the splendid performances
of the Gloucester and three battlestips,
Indiana. Iowa and Texas. The officers IN
command of these ships neither received
nor obeyed a solitary order from him.
QUOTE CAPTAIN CLARK.
Next the commentators turn their at
tention to what they declare were. per-
sstent efforts by Schleys attorneys to
snow tn1C IN some manner tlle oregon eiL
least was under his orders during the bat
tie, first by answering the signal '.Close
up" and afterward by firing her thirteen
inch guns under signal from the Brook
+lyn, and they say But the attempt. as
the testimony to be quoted below shows
was failure.
They quote passages from Captain
Ciarks testimony, who said in regard to
the order to Close up THAT was a
standing order in the squadron, to attack
the enemy at once if they appeared and
to keep the heads of the ships always
towards the entrance
AS to the alleged order from the Brook
Ign. directing the Oregon to fire her 49,
inch guns. the commentators again quote
from Captain Clark's testimony. where,
when asked if the guns were fired in pur-
isuance of an order from the Brooklyn,
the Captain said: mo, sir; fired them
after celebrating with the officers" and
IF they tthe Brooklyn made a signal. I
did not see it.
The comment closes in the following
words: THE contention that the mag
.nihcient work Of tie Oregon or any part
of it was done under orders from the
Brooklyn or that the Oregon received
or obeyed even a single order from Com
,modore Schley from the time the Span
ish ships We're sighted to The surrender
of the Colon, which surrender may fairly
be taken as the close of the battle. must
be abandoned and with it goes TIE last
peg upon which to hang the pretense of
a claim that during the battle of San
tiago Commodore Schley effectively ex-
ercised any Of the functions of a COM
The weight of the tes-,
umony is to the effect that the Commo-
dore controlled the movements OF his
flagship, the Brookl yn. well with the
exception Of the loop. But 1t also shows,