The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-28
THE BROOK YN'S WAR LESSONS.
Officers Of the Gallant Cruiser Tel What They Learned in
Cuban Waters

New York, Aug. 21-"You can al
most read the lesson learned by the
Brooklyn during this war, in the stars,
said Admiral Schley with twinkling
eyes. He waved one hand suggestively
toward the American ensign Haunting
from the tafraiI staff of the famous
armored cruiser as he spoke. "As for
the share Of the crew and his ship in
the victory of the Santiago fight, only
one thing can be said-they did theiI
duty as Americans as American ships
always have and always will. In all
my experience have never before wit
messed such fatally accurate and dead
iy shooting as was done by our fleet
as it closed in on CerVera's squadron
during the battle of July 3. But all
this is an old story. That we happened
to be IN the thick of the fight was a
piece of good luck, for which we are
all thankful. The speed of the Brook
Ign had something to do with II? OF
course. And you can give the praise
for that to those who designed her, and
the faithful crew below in the engine
and fire rooms. They worked as never
men worked before. You wish me to
give your readers an idea of the eff
Gciency Of the armored cruiser class Cf
exoerience?"
The rear admiral smiled and glanced
toward a number OF navy yard officials
just boarding the ship, adding IN his
characteristic. genial manner, Il am
afraid l must refer you to MIR. Hodg
son. the navigator. He will doubtless
give you the information You desire.
Lieutenant Hodgson is The cruisers
navigating officer. Admiral Scnley said
IF in nf
battle: THE navigator, Lieutenant y.
c. Hodgson, was most steady and con-
spicuous in ever. detail of duty. con-
tributing TO the accurate firing Of this
ship CBrooklyn) in her part o. the great
victory" He seemed to think that his
testimony could not be Of much inter
est. but he finally consented 10 talk
briefly.
ARMOR EFFECTIVE.
''The lesson learned by The Brooklyn"
he began, "is the same as that learned
by every ship in the fleet. We probably
can give better testimony from :le fact
that we We're struck By The enemy's
projectiles q greater number Of times
than any other vessel. but really the
only additional knowledge acquired is
that Spanish shells of the calibre fired
by Cervera s ships are useless against
the three 10 eight-inch armor carried
by the Brooklyn. The marks and scars
show that we We're req 3heI ahouc %
times. but. as you see, we are still
afioat.
THE recent war proved conclusIyeiy
that vessels of the Brooklyn type find
ample protection in the protective deck,
which IS three inches on The = and
six inches on the slope, IN the three
inch belt and in the eight inches guard
ing the barbette turrets. It is evident
that the constructors were happy III
their selection Of the armor The in
jury reported to have been sustained
during the Santiago fight when one Of
the compartments was flooded below
the water line was due to 4 WAGER valve
being opened through some unknown
cause.
RAPID-FIRE GUNS.
I'm regard to the question of arma-
ment, it has been claimed in some
quarters that a battery consisting en-
tirely Of siX-inch rapid-fire guns would
be more efficient than the Brooklyn's
present battery, which includes eight
eight-inch and y five-inch rapid-firers,
and a secondary battery of u six
Founders, four one-pOunders, four
Colts and two field guns. The ques-
ton is susceptible to argument, of
course, but I think the eight-inch guns
VI tiiC ID bDN4S II NllG ielCil SiidIG III TIE
Santiago fight. We fired 100 rounds of
eight-inch shells. Those, combined
with the eight-inch prOJectiles fired by
the Iowa, Oregon and Indiana, worked
terrible havoc on the Maria Teresa, the
Aimirante Oquendo, the Vizcaya and
the Colon. One of these shells struck
the latter ship landed in the ward
room and exploded, wrecking the COM
partment and killing a number of the
enemy. The Maria Teresa was struck
by an eight-inch shell from our ship,
which entered the side just forward
of the port beam. The projectile burst
and disabled the four crews of the
guns on that deck. The eight-inch
breech-loader is formidable weapon,
and II is certainly not out of place on
an armOred cruiser.
OF SMALLER PIECES.
''The official reports made by the
ships of Admiral SIMPSONS fleet prove
that the main results of the battle off
Santiago were achieved by the eight
inch and lower calibres and the randi
fire pieces. Too much praise cannot be
given to the men at the latter guns
for their extraordinary skill and abil-
ty- The perfect hail of proiectiles
showered upon the fleeing Spanish
ships by the five-inch rapid-ffrers was
almost beyond belief. Captain Eu-
2teS testimony that 'the Brooklyn's |
ire on our broadside was frightfuI. |
and the men could not stay at their |
guns, proves how the crews worked |
ne pieces. Although u of these ter |
IDLY destructive guns are carried. only |
TX could be used during the running
light. as only that number would bear
IN the broadside; but the six guns
lid their work nobly. The Vizcaya
vas hit six times by the Brooklyn's
iye-lnch breech-lOaders; the Infanta
Maria, five; the Cristobal Colon. four.
md the Oquendo, five One of the
heiIs exploded torpedo on the lat