The Washington weekly post., 1899-06-20
Declares Officially that Schley
Said Hard ApOrt.
A DENIAL NOT MEANT TO DENY
He Gathered from Seh1ey's Orders that
the Latter Feared Exposure to Torpedo
Attack. Though Hodgson Saw None and
So Informed His Chief-The Lieutenant's
Intended to Deny Dialogue as Published.

The occurrence on the bridge of the
Brooklyn during the battle of July 3, hav
ing been the subject OF controversy
iE the newspapers. the Navy Depart
ment recently undertook an investigation
OF the various allegations. Lieut.. Com
mander Hodgson and Lieut.. Commander
Heilner who have figured in the cOntrO-
vcrsy, were both called on for eXplana
tiOnS of the utterances attributed TO
them, and the former was directed to
report for examination on this point TO
Capt. Chadwick, at Boston. The depart
ment has now given out for publication
Capt. ChadWicks report on the matter
Ii is not Yet determined whether or not
the answer of Lieut.. Commander Heilner
Will be made public at this time. Capt.
Chadwick's 5 report is as follows:
~. s. s. New York,
Boston, Mass, June II, 1899.
Sir: In obedience to your order of the
18th instant have to report the following
as the statement BY Lieut. Commander
HodgsOn of the conversation between
Rear Admiral Schley and himself during
the action of July 5. 1898.
He states as follows:
Saw No Torpcdo-boafs.
As were approaching the Spanish ship. !
heard Admiral schley say port or starboard sew
eral times to Capt. Cook in the coming tower
the Admiral being the platform surrounding the
coming tower l had been on Ine bridge above
and just coming down 10 report the position
Of the ships when | heard the Admiral say Hard
aPort."
The Maria Teresa was then hauling sbaft or
port beam. The Brooklyn vas heading about north
he dmEr I.ac
bin. that the Texas very close starbOard
band and that turning to stsrboard would bring us
too close to her. don't know that / used the word
collision"
1 did not say: You mean stsrboard." I in
tended him to understand there was danger OF mn-
ming into the Texas. lie said All tight" or words
to that eject. I oanEOt repeat verbatim. When
knew he going Ia TO stsrbOaTd. | suggest
ed backing the staT5Dard engine, n order 10 make
a smaller circle and give the Texas wider berth.
but he decided against that decreasing the speed
OF the turn He did Tot say. that I know Of. We
enough to them Ghe Spaniards) already"
The only thing [ gathered from what he said was
that If turned 20 port We should get Close
hat should expose ourselves 10 torpedo attack
supposed h meant torpedo boats. and replied TO
him that | had rot seen them.
Lieut. Commander Hodgson states
that he did not intend to convey in his
IOlt vi ltilldis Stail al AlIf ltfuN0A VA NJ
miral Schley and published in The Wash
ington Post. the idea that no such col
loquy took place.
Why He Wrote the Letter.
He states regarding this. as follows:
Admiral Schley wrote me- inoIosing an editorial
from New York paper tof June u. sskiug me 70
write a denial Of WBar he phrased an oft-rePcat@i
calumny" he said hs had 10 recollection Of any
such conversation. 1 wrote a lengthy letter of ex-
PLANTATION. giving my recollection Of the conVersa-
tion as nearly possible.
Admiral schey wrote ne SAYING: There is much
in your letter which should ike 10 use as il
would uroyCke assault upon you. which would not
like to aappen- What | want to show is thai the
dialogue did not occur" | then wrote a denial Of
the coiloquy. certainly not intending TO say that
such collCquy occurred but that it did not occur
as printed !. at the time sent with this
second explanatory letter. explaining 20 Admiral
schey that the letter Of denial denial Of
the dialogue as it appeared in print. and that I
had told the correspondent Of the paper that the
substance Of the conversation In writ
ing the letter. wished 10 refute the fact Of any
controversy existing al critical stage Of the bat
tie II the letter. denial Of the words a.
they stood in the published article; denial 4
t1eir literal correctness. and not denial OF the
substantial correctness Of the ststsnent-
"A copy or The letter mas not Deen re-
tanned by him; he had d rough draft,
which has been mi5laid.
Lieut. Commander HOdgsOn appends
his signature as a voucher for the sccu-
Tacy with which the foregoing Is given.
Very respectfully.
IF. f. CHADWICK,
Captain. l.. g. Navy"
"a G. HODGSON.
Lieutenant Commander. L. s. ""
''-O the Secretary Of the Navy"