Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-26
Navigator of Texas Tells of the Loop.

Navigator OF Texas ] ellis OF the Loop.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 2S.--The members
of the Schley naval court of inquiry found
the accommodations of the tool shop at
the navy yard somewhat improved when
it met there at the usual hour of II o'clock
today. The long bare room which hither-
to had been open from floor to roof, had
been, In appearance. at least. completely
transformed over Sunday blythe addition
of a ceiling of plain white cloth. This had
the effect also of improving the acoustics
of the hall, so that the court and others
had less diff1culty than formerly in hear
ing the witnesses.
Proceeding, Captain Lemley said he had
suggested such logs as he considered es-
sential and he would have printed the
points considered pertinent. He then in
dicated the time that he desired covered
by the matter to be printed, but Admiral
Schley's counsel objected and asked that
the entire logs from the time the fleet
left Key West until after the battle on
Santiago be made available. After some
exchanges of opinion on the part OF the
council the understanding was reached
that such parts of the logs as either side
desired could be printed.
Commander Schroeder was recalled and
asked IL he desired to make any correc-
tions in the official record of his testtmo-
ny of Saturday.
Schleys remarks on the Massachusetts on
the day of the bombardment of the Colon
which l overheard which should like to
supply" he replied. 'It is this: He said
when he came aboard that Admiral Samp-
son would be there on the following day.
He made that statement in connection
with his remark that he was going in to
sink the Colon"
Lieutenant Commander L. o. Heilner,
navigator of the Texas during the Spanish
war testified that he had heard no guns
fired when the squadron approached Glen
fuegos. To his knowledge no effort was
made to ascertain whether the Spanish
fleet was in the harbor, or to DESTROY
Spanish works there. Nor had there been
any effort to communicate with Cubans
on shore until Captain McCalla arrived
on the Marblehead.
Witness was then asked to describe the
battle of July 3, and said:
THE Texas had been heading about
east when the enemy was seen coming
out of Santiago. Lieutenant Bristol, who
was officer of the deck at the time, rams
to go ahead full speed, and put helm
hard to starboard to make a turn.
"When he was on deck he informed ms
of what happened and sent him below
and assumed charge Of the deck The
captain told me that he had eased the
helm until he could find out which way
the ships were going and he also ran halt
speed. L suggested fun speed. He SAID
the battery was not ready. told him II
would be ready before the ship was in
position to fire, and then he said:
"'All right, and rang full speed
when the second of the enemy's ships
followed the first to the westward he
put the helm hard to starboard. 1 made
several reports to him about the Brook
lyn regarding her signals. He said New
er mind 1 also referred to the way
thought the Brooklyn was standing up tc
fght-very nicely. The captain said: oh
crackie. Never mind the Brooklyn. You
look out for this ship.
"The Brooklyn was then about hel
port beam. So I said:
I" All right, captain. 1 will look at the
Brooklyn no more, and turned my back,
looking on the starboard beam at the ships
getting out. After we sheared about and
got to the westward / suggested to give
her little port helm to get closer in, and
he did. Right after he gave her this helm
he sang out through the sight hole to the
men at the wheel and at the engine room
indicator to slow. then stop, and l said:
=" Captain, they will all get away from
u.s.
He did not answer me. but Immediately
stepped back, and then said:
&" My Lord, captain. we are out of the
fight. Look at the Brooklyn.
II turned around. and right ahead of
us this big gray ship doomed out of the
smoke. For q second 1 thought my heart
was i'm my mouth. We were steaming
with a heavy helm and she steered by
us. When 1 saw her she was practically
ahead of us. That is the first 1 saw. She
sheered off and went to sea about 1900
yards. and then on to westward. AS soon
as the Brooklyn cleared US we rang to go
ahead and started up forced draft again.
Then we simply followed on as fast as