The San Francisco call., 1901-10-05

when the collier can deliver coal, can a
battleshtp like the Iowa take it,?
with a ship like the Iowa with no broad
side guns, the danger in coaling at sea is en-
tirely to the collier.
rs there any more danger to a collier with
a battleship either side?"
There would be very great danger to a col
ler in coaling battleships with battleshlp on
either side"
Captain Rodgers related two three in
stances in which the ships of the flying squad
ron were cleared for action upon signal from
the flagship Brooklyn before May 81, when
vessels were discerned in the distance. In
each case the vessels proved to be American
ships Each time the signal was to clear to
action and make speed of twelve knots an hour.
He also told of the bombardment or. recon
naissance of the Cristobal Colon on May 81.
in which the Iowa participated. He said the
vessels all in formation and following
the flagship. which, in that instance was the
1000 yards for this engagement, but the
shots fell so far short that the range was in
creased to IL 900 yards These latter shots fell
into the channel in which the Colon lay Some
of them must have fallen with 25O0 yards or
the Spanish ship
Describing Commodore Schley's blockade Of
the harbor at Santiago Captain Rodgers said
that the fleet maintained a position of seven
or eight miles out with the Marblehead and the
Vixen inside the line. He remembered that
tn Marblehead was on the inside from the fact
that some of the vessels in the squadron had
fleet was further out in the day than at night
vice versa. He thought the Vixen and the
Marblehead could have been seen by moon
Captain Rodgers had concluded his testimony
in chief when the court adjourned for luncheon
Gunnery on Brooklyn.
The afternoon session of the Schley court be-
gan with Captain Rodgers still on the stand
He stated in reply to questions that he was
the senior member Of the Naval Board Of Sur
vey appointed by Admiral Sampson to examine
the wrecked Spanish vessels.
to bring out the witness knowledge concern
ing the effect of the Brooklyn's gunnery in the
T,,iry 10 totn DAIo
stated that the Brooklyn the only vessel
that fred fve-inch shells and Mr. Raynor said
that m t5af
twelve ive-inch shells had been found on the
four Spanish vessels.
Mr. Raynor presented statement showing
the number of shells found the vessels of
the Spanish fleet, and the witness was asked
to state the percentage. of lve-inch shells, as
gIming the statement to be correct. CAPTAIN
Rodgers replied that the total number Of hits
was thirty five, and that. therefore. the five
the hits. Mr. Raynor said that the statement
had been prepared by Admiral Schley. The
witness also said he knew that the Brooklyn
had eight-inch guns. but Mr.. Raynor said the
adniraPs computation was not intended to
cover that feature His e2I only p purpose was to
being Enthusiastically the Brooklyn's.
"Dear schley" Letter.
the Iowa, Captain Rodgers was asked If the
Dear Schley' letter dated at Key West, May
20, 1S98 written by Admiral sampson, in which
the statement made that IT am of the
opinion that our best chance of success in cap
turing the enemy's ships will be to hold Glen
fuegos and Havana was included in these
dispatches. The witness replied that he had
no knowledge what the envelope contained
While the examination on this point in
progress Mr. Raynor read the letter, includ-
ing the following extracti
III later it should develop that these vessels
are at Santiago, we could then assemble off
that port the ships best suited for the purpose
and completely blockade it. Until we receive
more positive information shall continue
to hold Havana and Santiago
Mr.. Raynor remarked that he supposed 1t
would be conceded that the word Santiago
as given above was mistake, and that 1t
piled that he would make no such concession
and a tilt followed between counsel concern
ing the accuracy of Government publications.
It closed with an understanding that the orr
ginal document should be supplied tomorrow
In reply to a question by Mr.. Raynor as to
the condition of the weather from May "a to
May 26, Captain Rodgers replied:
IT do not recollect the events Of the night
of May "a My recollection is that on the
morning and throughout the day of the 25th
the wind fresh from a direction generally
ahead. Our course was generally southeast
ward. The sea depends entirely upon the size
of the ship. 1t was what l should call mod