The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-21
HEILNER FOLLOWS HoDGSoN.
IS CERTAIN THE WORDS "D- THE
TEXAS" WE'RE USED.

Declares HOdgson Told Him SchIey
Said "D-- the Texas; Let Her
Look Out for HerseIf''-He Is Also
Sure, According to Hadgson. That
Schley said He Was Close Enough
to the Spaniards-Says the PUb-
lished Report Was Correct.
Washington, June 2O.-Following the
statement of Lieutenant Commander
Hodgson respecting the events that oc-
CURED on the bridge of the Brooklyn, July
g. the navy department to-day made pub
lie the following report from Capt. Chad
wick of his examination of Lieutenant
Commander Heilner:
United States Steamship New York,
Boston, Mass, June 10, 1889.
"Sir-In obedience to the orders of the
Secretary of the Navy, have the honor
10 make the following report of an exam
ination. of Lieutenant Commander He'll
ner with respect of his knowledge of a con-
versation reported to have occurred be-
tween Rear Admiral Schley and Iieuten-
ant Commander Hodgson, during the ac-
ton of July 8, 1898.
Lieutenant Commander Heilner states
as follows;
"At one of the early sessions of the
board on ships positions during the ac-
ton of July 3, 1 strongly expressed my
doubt as to the Brooklyns position be-
fore making the loop, as laid down by Mr..
Hodgson; several other navigators, Mr..
Comfy and Mr.. Sehuetze 1 know sided
with me. Mr.. Hodgson and l, on this
particular occasion, walked up and down
the port side of the cabin of the Brook
lyn in which the board was sitting. 1t
is my impression that Mr.. Hodgson claim
ed that the Brooklyn was LOO yards from
the leading Spanish ship when the turn
was made. The board, l think, put 1t
later at 1,400 yards. Mr.. Hodgson told me
that he felt certain they were closer than
!, 100 yards, and that their standlmeter
gave 800 yards. He said: We were so
close that Schley gave the order Hard
aport." l said to him, "You mean star
board do you not?" The commodore said,
NO. mean port, we are close enough to
them now'
Said D. the Texas.
'AIr. Hodgson then said he called at
te9tion to the position of the Texas. and
told the commodore he thought there was
| danger of running her down. The com
modore replied, Damn The Texas; let
her look out for herself This conyersa-
| ton was repeated TO me on several diff
! ferent occasions.
| Everything l now say was contained
/ in Mr.. Hodgson's statement. The words
| may have been a little different. He may
/ have said, Don't you starb0Sp pdy
| commodore? {? instead of the first phraseol-
| ogy He certainly said We are near
| enough to them now and also, Damn the
| Texas; let her look out for herself
| - He repeated this conversation TO me
| at least three times during the sessions Of
| the board. because every time a discussion
| arose. l recurred TO the position given by
| him. which L did not think correct l placed
| standimeter or sextant during gunfire. My
| experience was that during the action, l
| could not get a single observation of the
standimeter on which could
| place any confidence, though
| / was using two standmeters and had a
! man in the coming tower with cleaning
| material, whose only duty was to try TO
| keep the glasses clean With the utmost
| care this could not be done. l tried keep
! ing the standimeter under my coat, but 1t
| was OF no use. l mention this as a rea-
/ son for the doubts which brought up the
| discussion
| ''The report as published was practically
| the conversa ton as repeated to me-
| Lieutenant Commander Heilmer APP
| pends his signature as an attestation OF
| The correctness of the foregoing as here
| with given. Very respectfully,
| IF. r. Chadwick,
Captain, United States Navy.
'L. c. Heilner Lieutenant Commander
United States Navy
| ITO the Command der-in- Chief"