The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-25
THATFAMOUS MANEUvER
THE FACTS CONCERNING THE "LooP"
MADE BIZ WAR SHIP BROOKLYN.
All the Reliable Testimony shows
that 1t Was Nicely and skilIfuIly
M~ade-Schley Above Calumny.

M~ade-Schley Above CaIumny.
New York Times.
The truth of history is all that an impair
tai world cares to hear about the famous
loop made by the Brooklyn as she wore
around to starboard In the beginning of the
Santiago fight. II was a useful, proper and
necessary evolution, perfectly justified by
the result. No discredit can be made to at
tach TO anybody on account of it. Malevo-
lence and calumny are powerless to harm
reputation when the known facts. repeat
eddy presented on high and ~unimpeachable
authority, offer no basis for just criticism.
The Bureau Of Navigation having attempt
ed with great precipitation to destroy the
value of testimony recently published which
seemed too favorable to Admirable Schley.
we think it will be well. before baffied de-
traction rallies itself for a fresh attack, to
set forth the facts about the loop Of the
Brooklyn, as they have been made known
in official reports and authoritative publica-
tions.
her nose out of Santiago harbor at $50 on
the morning of July 3 the American ships
were lying in a semi-circle about the mouth
VI ZIG d 0lSidtCCo III
two and one-half to four miles, in the block
aiding formation ordered by the commander
in-chief, now Admiral Sampson. The Brook
Ign lay in the western half of the semi-cir-
Gle. Immediately west of the Texas. and
nearer the shore, which was about two
miles distant. Captain Cook. of the Brook
Ign, in his report, tells how his ship was
handled in the first moment OF the en-
I'VE opened fire on the leading ship in five
minutes from discovery. The port battery
was first engaged as we stood with port
ing them a raking fire at about 100 yards
range. The. enemy turned to the westward
to starboard, bringing the starboard bat
terry into action. The enemy Rugged the
shore to the westward. . > . The Vixen,
which. had been to the westward Of us on
the blockade, ran to the southwark and
eastward of US, and kept for some time off
our port side distant about 1000 yards. evil
IDENTIFY intending to guard against torpedo
attack upon this ship"
HARLoW's TESTIMONY.
Lieutenant Harlow, the executive officer
of the Vixen, appended to his report to his
commander a copy of notes taken during
the engagement, from which we quote:
about 1905 the Brooklyn began to turn
with port helm and made a complete turn
to the eastward, coming around so that
when again heading west the two leading
enemy's ships bore we'll on her starboard
bow and the Colon on her starboard quar-
ter. For the next fifteen minutes the Brook-
lyn sustained and returned the fire of the
two Leading ships, with an occasional shot
from the Colon"
zines series of articles The Story of the
Captains" published in the May number OF
the magazine, Captain Cook says; - and
close In to the land. The Brooklyn was
turning rapidly with port helm. and con-
tinued to turn, firing all the time with the
port battery, and following around Until
the starboard battery was brought into
action. Our 'tumbling in sides enabled u:
to maintain a continual fire while turning.
We come now 10 the VIVID account OF TINS
incident given by Captain Philip, of the
Texas. now rear admiral in m at
the Brooklyn navy yard:
LAS the Texas veered westward the Brook
lyn was blowing up the waters at a great
rate in a course almost due north; direct for
mile away from the Texas. The smoke from
our guns began to hang so heavily and
we could see nothing. we might as well
have had a blanket tied over our heads.
Suddenly a Whit of breeze and a lull in the
hiring lifted the pail, and there, bearing to.
her port helm, with big waves curling over
her bows and great clouds of black smoke
pouring from her tunnels, was the Brooklyn.
She looked as big as half a dozen Great
Easterns. and seemed so near that 1t took
our breath away. Back both engines hard!
went down the tube TO the astonished en-
gineers, and in a twinkling the old ship was
racing against herself. The collision which
seemed almost imminent, even If it was not.
was averted. and as the big cruiser glided
past all of us on the bridge gave a sigh of re-
lief. Had the Brooklyn struck us then 1t
would probably have been an end of the
Texas rammed the Brooklyn 1t would have
been equally disastrous, for the Texas was
not built for ramming. and she would have
company knew of the incident"
LORD BRASSEY'S OPINION.
In all these accounts there is no hint or
suggestion that the Brooklyn was handled
in a way to make her fire less effective
against the enemy. The only criticism is
that to be inferred from Captain Philips's
narrative, that the turn put the Texas in
danger. Lord Brassey, in his Naval Annual.
just issued, a perfectly impartial authority,
speaks Of it as "a movement which must.
| apparently, have entailed difficulties on the
Texas, then heading westward" He has no
criticism to offer, He simply says that by
board battery into action
We now give Admiral Schley's account of
the maneauvre and the reason for ii. taken
from his statement to the Senate committee
The rapidity with which the Brooklyn
approached the head of the Spanish column
coming westward under high speed, and
changing course more TO westward, brought
the Brooklyn heading eastward to meet Ii
into a position where she would have blank
eted the fire of the eastern vessels of our
force, now changing their courses TO the
westward. and between them and the Span
ish vessels. Instant decision was, therefore.
necessary to avoid interfering in any way
or cutting off any of the fire of our vessels.
as would have occurred If she had turned
toward the Spanish fleet now approaching
the Brooklyn. Turning outward left the en-
emy's ships unmasked by the Brooklyn. and
exposed them to the concentrated fire of
our squadron. now changing its course to
the west. The result of this manoeuvre
was that, in thirty minutes from the OPEN
ing OF the combat. four Of the enemy's YES
sells were on fire and riddled with projec-
tiles. Two torpedo boats were destroyed;
one reached the beach about three miles
from the mouth of the harbor; the Teresa
and Oquendo were beached about six miles
from the harbor.
This turn of the Brooklyn in the battle
of July 3 was the crucial and deciding fea-
ture Of that combat. II the advantage
gained by the B~rooklyn's turn outward to
permit the concentrated fire of our squadron
IDOn the enemy without interruDtiOn had