New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-20
THE SCHLEY CONTROVERSY
CAPTAIN CHADwICK'S REPORT GIVES
HODGSON's VERSION
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBCSE.l


Washington June 19-Secretary Long to-day
made public the following letter from Captain
Chadwick Of Admiral SIMPSONS flagship:
~ s. s. New York.
Boston Mass. June H. 1888.
"Sir: In obedience TO your order Of the eth
instant I have TO report the following as the
statement by Lieutenant Commander Hodgson
Il the conversation between Rear Admiral
Schley and himself during the action Of July 8,
1898. He states follows:
Admiral schey say port or stoT6oard sTVeTa. ,bn
times to Captain Cook in tie coming he th
coming tower. | had been on the bridge above,
and Inv Just wSSn emf heard the TO %s s aa
aport." The Maria Teresa was then hauling % apart
or told The the A@ AGG1k o @s at
ed to him, that the Texas was very close on our
would bring too close to her | don't know . that
| used the word collision ] did not say y o9
there there was danger OF running into the Texas. He
said. "Al right" or words to that effect. cannot
repeat verbatim. When knew he was going to
turn TO starboard | suggested backing the star,
board engine. in order to make a smaller circle and
against that as decreasing the speed OF the turn.
He did say that know OF, I'VE are near en9us n
to them (the spaniards) already" The only thing
/ gathered from what he said was that If he
turned TO port we should get so close that w we
should expose ourselves to torpedo attack; ! sup sup
posed he meant torpedo boats. and replied TO him
that did not See them.
LIEUTENANT Commander Hodgson states that
he did not intend to convey In his note OF denial
sent at the request Of Admiral Schley and pup
lished In The Washington Post the idea that
no such colloquy took place. He states regard
Ing this as follows:
Admiral schey wrote me incosns an editorial tor al
write denial OF what he phrased an ott-repeated
calumny" He said he had no recollection or any
such conversation. wrote lengthy letter OF ex-
tion as nearly as possible. Admiral Schley wrote
me saying There is much In your letter which
l should not like to use, as II would pro'ohe as
sault upon you which would not like to happen.
What | want to show is that the dialogue d'd not
I then wrote a denial Of the colloquy. certainly
CURED but that It did not occur as printed ]. at
the time. sent with this second explanatory
of denial was denial OF the dialogue as 1t appeared
in THE Sun" and that had told Ihe sun cor
respondent that the substance or the conversation
was correct In writing the letter. wished 10 re-
fute the fact OF any controversy existing at crit
ical stage Of the battle H. the letter was denial
OF the words as they stood In the published article;
denial Of their literal correctness. and not de-
NAL OF the substantial correctness or the state
ment.
"A copy OF the letter has not been retained by
him: he had a rough draft which has been mis-
laid.
Lieutenant Commander Hodgson appends
bis signature as a voucher for the accuracy
with which the foregoing is given. Very re-
spectfully, (Signed) F. f. CHADWICK.
Captain. United States Navy.
"(Signed) A. c. HODGSON,
"Lieutenant- Commander United States Navy.
ITO the Secretary of the Navy