The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-20
OFFICIAL FROM IIODGSON.
STATEMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT
AMOUR THE COLLOQUY ON
THE BROOKLYN.

That the Colioquy Did Not Occur
Hodgson Says the CoIloquy Did De-
cur, and Quotes What Was Said.
WASHINGTON. June 1a.-The Secretary of the
Navy furnished to the press this afternoon
report OF Capt. French T.. Chadwick. command
ing the cruiser New York. OF an official inquiry
made by him into the correctness OF the state
ment Of Lieutenant Commander Hodgson in
note to Rear Admiral Schley that the coll
loquy published in THE New YORK Sun. al
legged to have taken place between you and mo
on the day OF the battle OF Santiago. July 3,
1898, never occurred"
Capt. Chadwick report shows. on Hodgson's
authority. that the coloquy did occur. and
that the account OF II published in The Sun
was subs antially correct Hodgson. accord
ing to the statement he made to Capt. Chad
wick alleges that Admiral Schley. in furnishing
Hodgson's note to the Washington Post. sup
pressed letter accompanying it in which
Hodgson acknowledged the substantial nc
curacy OF THE SUNS account. The statement
OF Mr.. Hodgson to Capt. Chadwick also throws
some light on the motive OF Schley in making
the much discussed loop" OF the Brooklyn.
Schley in his report to the Senate Committee
on Naval Affairs said the Brocklyn's peculiar
turn was necessary to prevent that vessel from
blanketing the fire OF the other American
ships. In his statement to Capt Chadwick,
Mr.. Hodgson said. after referring to the order
to turn to starboard; THE only thing l gath
cred from what he tSchley) said was that IL we
turned to port we should get so close that we
would expose ourselves to torpedo attack"
The report Of Capt. Chadwick is countersgned
and approved by Lieutenant Commander
lTodgson. This is the report
l.. s. S. New YORK.
BosToN, Mass. June II.
SIR: In obedience to your order OF the 18th
inst. l have TO report the following as the state
ment by Lieutenant Commander Hodgson Of
the conversation between Rear Admiral Schley
and himself during the action of July 3. 1898
| He states as follows:
'As we were approaching the Spanish ships
| | heard Admiral Schley say Port or Star
board several times to Capt. Cook in the
| coming tower. the Admiral being on the plat
form surrounding the coming tower. / had
| been on the bridge above and was just coming
| down to report the position OF the ships when
| heard the Admiral say Hard a-port.' The
| Maria Teresa was then hauling abaft our port
| beam. The Brooklyn was heading about
| northeast l told the Admiral. or at least
| suggested to him. that the Texas was
| very close on our starboard hand. and that
| turning to starboard would bring us too close
| to her, | don't know that / used the word
collision did not say you mean starboard.'
| intended him to understand there was dan
ger Of running into the Texas. He said All
right. or words to that effect: | cannot repeat
verbatim When knew he was going to turn
n stnrhDarl | SlurpStpl hack ing the Of
board engine in order to make a smaller circle
and give the Texas wider berth but he de-
cided against that. as decreasing the speed OF
| the turn. He did not say, that know Of. We
are near enough to them the SpanardsN al
| ready The only thing | gathered from what
| he said was that il he turned to port we should
| get so close that we should expose ourselves to
| torpedo attack. | suppose he meant torpedo
boats. and replied to him that | had not seen
| them"
| Lieutenant L commander HodgSon states that
| he did not intend to convey in his note Of de-
| NAL. sent at the request Of Admiral Schey and
published in the Washington Post. the idea
| that no such collouuy took place. He states
| regarding this as follows
| Admiral Schley wrote me. inclosing an ed
| itorial from THE NEW YORK SuS lof June !.
asking me to write adenial Of what he phraecd
an oft-repeated caumny.' He said he had no
| TtcOIlecllOl bl any Sucu tOnN L WIOtt
a lengthy letter OF explanation, giving my
| recollection of the conversation as nearly as
| possible. Admiral Schlry wrote me. saying:
| There is much in your letter which | should
| not like to use. as it would provoke assault
| upon you. which would not like to happen.
| What want to show is that the dialogue did
| not occur | then wrote denial Of the
| colloluy. certainly not intending 20 say
| that no such collouuy occurred, but that
| it did not occur as printed. ! at the
| same time sent with this II second
explanatory letter. explaining to Admiral
| Schley that the letter OF denial was denial OF
the dialogue as it appeared in THE SUN. and
| that l had told THE Sun correspondent that
| the substance OF the conversation was correct
| In writing the letter wished to refute the fact
| OF any controversy existing at a critical stage
OF the battle. It, the letter. was denial OF the
| words as they stood In the published article: a
| denial OF their literal correctness. and not a
denial Of the substantial correctness of the
| statement"
A copy OF the letter has not been retained by
him. He had q rough draft. which has been
| mslaid. Lieutenant Commander Hodgson ap-
| ponds his signature as a voucher for the accu-
racy with which the foregoing Is given. Very
| respectfully.
+. F.. CHADWICK. Captain. U. 8, y.
| A. G. HoDGsoS.
Lieutenant Commander. U. s. y.
| To the Secretary Of the Navy
| Secretary Long declined tn discuss the Hodg-
son statement or to say whether the Navy De-
| partment would take any further action on the
basis Of Hodgson's acknowledgment OF the
substantial accuracy Of tn" cooquy which he
had denied, and his charge that Rear Admiral
Schey. when he published the note that
| seemingly denied that any such colloQuy
had occurred. suppressed an accompany
| ing letter from Hodgson stating that THE
| SUNS account of the conversation on
| the Brooklyn was substantially correct
| THE Sun reporter inferred from what the
Secretary said that the next move should come
from somebody other than himself, and the
| Secretary indicated that the department would
wait while before taking any action 1t is
evident that the naval authorities believe that
the matter has reached such a stage that Rear
Admiral Schley cannot, II he respects himself
and his uniform. let the Hodgson statement
| pass without making some EXPLANATION TO the