Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-27
WARSHfPS WERE READY.
Capt. Chadwick Denies That They
Were Unprepared of Santiago,

Capt. f. f. Chadwick who was i'm COM
mand of the New York, Admiral Sampson's
flagship, during the West Indian campaien
mas made statement in REPUTATION of GER
tain allegations made in a recent number
of the Engineering Magazine
In the magazine article statements were
made to the effect that the United States
Warsnips that destroyed Cervera's feet at
Santiago on July ) were really not in a
proper state of preparedness when the fleet
passed out through the channel and at
tempted to escape. Engines were I'M
coupled, it was stated, boilers were either
empty or full of salt water and the CRATES
We're cold In answer to these charges
captain Chadwick makes the following re-
ply, which has also the Endorsement of
Admiral Sampson:
Capt. Chadwick's Statement
The statements appearing in s'The En-
cheering Magazine are extremely mac
curate in certain respects, at least 1t
would be well for writer in such a period
ical to be sure of his facts. as good en-
glneering has accuracy as its basis The
most cursory examination of the data at
hand would have enabled the writer to
nave revised his ideas. He states the dis
lance from the Moro to the Colon as forty
five miles. 1t is forty-nine nautical miles,
or about fifty-sX land miles. He says that
the New York's running time between these
points was four hours and eight minutes
1t was three hours and five minutes from
the MORO to the time she slowed down as
she neared the Colon. He gives her speed
as 11.O6 knots. 1t was IA, as taken from
the official distance between certain points
established by board Of officers, a slight
error on the part of the engineering au-
thority of 81 per cent
The various SDe4dS in che 81 Ea a.
as taken from the chart referred to- were
for the New York an average of IA knots:
for the Brooklyn, 1872; for the Oregon
1892; the points of departure being taken
after the chase was we'll begun. 1t is be-
lieved that all these speeds are lower than
the actual as they are based on measure
ments from chart which it is thought
shows too short distance between Santi-
ago and Rio TorQuina, where the Colon
turned in.
There was never any doubt as to over
taking the Colon. The New York at the
end of the chase had run up to 104 turns
which, as she was running nearly a thous-
and tons light, gave her certainly seven
teen knots. The writer INDUCES in various
other inaccuracies as to cold furnaces, etc.
The New York and the Brooklyn have four
engines. all of which together can only be
used to advantage with full power. The
New York was using forty-five tons of coal
day on the blockade as it was. 1t was
the practice to keep steam on four of the
SiA UOlleTS, d litn Aliieu WITH water Kept
hot by the dydrokineter and primed ready
for firing and a sixth cleaning. This was
the condition the day of the action. The
sixth boiler, as were all the rest, was filled
with fresh, not salt, water. To have kept
fires sufficient to use efficiently all the en-
gines coupled would have occasioned an
expenditure of coal which would have
forced the New York from her station, as
it did others.
"As it was she was hanging on by her
eyelids, so to speak, avoiding as long as
possible going to Guantanamo: The use of
her and the Brooklyns engines coupled be-
fore the moment of full power would have
been a serious detriment. and after full
have stopped to couple when going sixteen
or seventeen knots, and thus lose from
four to five miles. when it was SO clearly
apparent that the chase was being. rapidly
Overhauled
Stringent orders existed regarding the
use of fresh water in all ships; it was not
singular to the Oregon. The New York
never had any but fresh water in her boil
ers in spite of the writer's general asser-
ton to the contrary, and circular order
Of Admiral Sampson Of May % covered this
matter in great detail. If full steam had
been kept at all times, as the writer seems
should have been, it would simply have
meant more ships off their stations and
less force to meet the enemy. 1t would
have been a foolish thing to do from any
point of view, particularly from the en-
cheering, as bleeding continuously into
the condensers at a high pressure would
have been most injurious to them, and we
should have had our ships shortly alto
gether hors de combat.