The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-15

been maintained from one to four miles
out and that the Dupont was stationed
inside with instructions TO keep close
into the mouth of the harbor and MAIN
tain careful watch, reporting any SuS-
piciouS incidents.
The witness in giving the details of
the cruise from CienfuegOs to Santiago,
said the weather was boisterouS with
a heavy sea and that cOaling at sea
would not have been safe before May
"a, when it was undertaken he also
said that on this voyage the squadron
had been delayed by the small boats
and that the ships had also been slowed
up on one occasion, when a merchant
vessel was sighted; also that the collier
had to stop several times to make re-
pairs to her machinery.
With reference TO the blockade at
Santiago the witness said it had been
maintained at varying distances OF
from three to six miles to suit the COM
nander-in-chief. In thick weather and
at night the distance was less than in
fair weather and in the day time
The witness also described the re-
connoissance of May 81 when the Colon
was fired upon, and giving his conclu-
sionsy with reference to that event, he
said it had developed the strength of
the land batteries and they had proved
to be stronger than he had supposed
they We're. Commodore Schley. had, he
said, told him that his purpose was to
ascertain what the batteries were. He
L..
the Massachusetts on that day and had
not heard any conversation between
that officer and Commodore Schley.
STORY OF THE RATTLE.
The witness described the enga cement
of July 3. After stating the preliminary
incidents he said:
81 was in my room when I heard the
cry of the executive officer Clear ship
for action I knew what that meant
and ran to the quarter deck. / looked
Lee
envy is escaping was up and saw that
it was met the commodore on the
quarter deck. He directed the signal
Clear ship for action followed by the
signal to close in, all of which were
made From my position had a good
view of the entrance. Our ship was
heading at the time, I should say, TO the
westward of north. not on her regular
heading. which was about northeast by
north The engines had been started by
the time 1 got on deck. and she was
swinging toward the enemy.
The first vessel, which proved to be
the flagship Maria Teresa came out
She was directly on our bearing, from
the entrance to the port.
LAS the ship swung toward the Teresa
she swung slowly around. To me the
Teresa appeared to not hold an exact
ly ready coruSe and the helm of our
ship was eased one way or the other, to
keep our ram pointing toward the Ter
ly toward the westward and as she did
so, I got a view of the next ship fol-
lowing in her wake It was my obser-
walton that the Brooklyn was then held
up to N eet the second ship approaching.
OF course we ported helm
The second ship passed in the wake
of the first one, and said to the COM
modore that it looked as If the second
one was going TO try and ram us.
think. he assented. At any rate the
Brooklyn was held toward her and she
appeared to me. to be uncertain in her
course The Brooklyn was handled by
the captain and quartermaster She
turned after she had passed to the
southward OF the Teresa's wake and
followed her and then it was generally
remarked on the tower bridge they were
all going to try and escape to the west
ward.
Just about the time the viscaya turn
ed, Yeoman Ellis who was a trained
observer with the stadimeter, came to
me on the platform and said that his
stadimeter showed 900 yards to the
Niscaya Immediately took an espe-
cial look at the Viscaya with that in
mind and my judgment confirmed the
stadimeter- 7 said to the commodore:
L think we are about our tactical dia-
meter from that ship now and he said.
L think so. too, or we are Then the
order was Hard aport' L am not posi-
tive who gave that order. 1 think the
commodore said, Hard aport' and Can
tain Cook said Tt is hard anorf r-be
helm was kept hard aport and the shin
swung rapidly in her turning circle
Wnen the order was given Hard aport'
/ looked at the next vessel in our fleet
the Texas-and in my judgment were
completely clear of her, and as we t,,rr-
ed we passed well clear of her. After the
turn was completed we found ourselves
abreast. or perhaps a little abaft the
beam of the leading Spanish ship with
a slowly converging course toward the
leading ship 1t is my impression We
held very straight course. The navi-
gator was trying to maintain this course
to keep our guns to bear to the best
range. The Oregon was astern of ms
and the Texas astern of her. The Wis
caya began to blaze up and she turned
in toward shore.
rhe commodore spoke of the advisa-
bIlity OF signalling through the Oregon to
the texas. TO stay by the Viscava when
she turned in and insure her surrender.
but after a moments though he -:
Philip VIII know enough to look or,r Tor
that and then We proceeded. We were
increasing our speed as rapidly as the
nres could be forced. and after the Wis
cnyA had gone IN we continued the chasa
after the Colon After we began to gain