The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-24

played by the battleship Texas in the
naval battle off Santiago, July 8, 1898,
In which the Spanish fleet under Admiral
Cervera was sunk, was the basis of the
greater part of todays proceedings in the
Schley naval court of inquiry. OF the
four witnesses examined during the day
three had been officers on board the
Texas during the battle and two of them
Were new witnesses. These were Com
mander George c. Heilner, who was navi-
gator on the Texas, and Commander
Alex B. Bates, who was the chief en-
gineer on that battleship. Commander
Harber, executive officer, and chief
surviving officer of the ship since the
death of Capt. Philip, was recalled. The
fourth witness was Commander Seaton
Schroeder, executive omcer on the Mas
SachuSetts, and now governor of the ISL
and of Guam.
The testimony several times during the
day was somewhat exciting, and it was
especially so when Commander Heilner
described the battle and tue part the
Texas had taken in it. He said that
when the Brooklyn made its loop at
the beginning of the battle it had passed
ACROSS THE TEXAS BOW
at a distance not to exceed a hundred
or one hundred and fifty yards, and that
at the command of "out Philip the Tex
as had been brought to a dead stop En-
gineer Bates testified that the starboard
engines had been stopped and said he
thought this also had happened to the
port engines. Commander Heilner ex-
pressed the opinion that three miles had
been lost by this maneuver. and the
fact that part of the machinery was de-
ranged. He said he considered that the
Texas was in greater danger when the
Brooklyn crossed her bow than at any
other time during the battle
On croSS-eXaminat ton Commander He'll
ner admitted having taken part in the
preparation of the official navy depart
ment chart, showing the positions at diff
ferent times of the ships which partici-
pated in the battle. He said that ac-
cording to this chart the two ships never
We're nearer than 800 yards of each other
But he contended the chart was mac
curate, and he said he had only con-
sented to 1t as a compromise. Com
mander Bates admitted that the official
steam log of the Texas contained no rec
ord of lie signal to reverse the engines.
Commander Schroeder testified concern
ing the coal supply of the Massachusetts,
which he said would have been sufficient
for blockade of from sixteen to twenty
days.
The day closed with another animated
controversy between counsel as to the
policy of bringing Admiral Sampson 8
name into the trial.
PROMPT TO THE HvUR
The hands of the old-fashioned hall
clock standing back of the seats occupied
by the court pointed directly to the hour
of II o'clock when Admiral Dewey, with
q sharp rap OF his gavel, called the court
to order. There was at that time some
what larger attendance on the part of the
general public than there had heretofore
been at the beginning of the sittings, but
there were fewer distinguished person.
ages occupying the reserved seats.
Capt. Lemly presented the deck log
books of the Brooklyn, Texas, Iowa, Cas-
tine, Marblehead, Massachusetts,, Min
nesota, New Orleans, Oregon, st. Paul
Scorpion, Yale, Vixen, Eagle, Dupont
Hawk and Merrimac.
Capt. Lemly also presented the steam
logs of the Brooklyn, Massachusetts,, Iowa
Texas and Marblehead.
Admiral Schley's counsel asked to have
the log of the Spanish ship Cristoba
Colon presented.
VERY well, if we can find a Spanish
scholar to go through and select the
facts wanted said Cept. Lemly.
Admiral Schley is a good Spanish
scholar, and he can make such selections
as we may desire,'' responded Mr.. Ray
ner.
Commander Schroeder was recalled an6
asked If he desired to make any correc.
tions in the official record of his testi.
mony of Saturday.
There is one admission from Admira
Schley's remarks on the Massachusetts
on the day of the bombardment of the
Colon which I overheard, which I should
like to supply he replied. at is this
he said when he came aboard that Ad.
miral Sampson would be there on the
following day. He made that statement
r1fffC -
was going to sink the Colon.''
SUPPLY OF COAL.
Commander Schroeder was then asked
concerning the coal supply of the Massa.
chusetts. and when he replied that he haf
no information on that point, he wa:
asked to read the log to secure this In
formation. Upon reading from the log
Commander Schroeder said it showed
that. the Massachusetts had over 800 tons
of coal aboard when it arrived at Santi
ago.
Mr. Misunderstanding that the Massa
chusetts, on blockade duty, would use
thirty to forty tons of coal per day, how
long could the Massachusetts have re-
mained on blockade before Santiago will
that supply of coal?
That would depend naturally upon the
nature of the blockade, and whether WI
would have to go some distance to re-
plemSh the coal supply"
Allowing then sufficient coal on the
Massachusetts with an equipment of SO
tons to reach Key West, how long could
she have remained on blockade, steam
ing backward and forward as she die
from May 29Fto June 1?''
IF she used forty tons a day, she coulf
have remained twenty days.
He then, stated that she could have re-
mained sixteen days and would have haC
sufficient coal left to reach Key West.
Assuming the distance to Key West
TO be 700 miles. what coal would have
been necessary" asked Capt Lemly.
Commander SchroeAer-I should think
100 to 175 tons probably would have taker
US there. We can always rely upon that
because as a rule the engineers keen q
nttle ahead rather than behind their Goa
account. -A va
HEILNER ON THE STAND
Lieutenant Commander l.. c. Hei,nar
VINO was navigator of the Texas during
the Spanish war, was next called. He
said he had heard no guns fired wher
the squadron approached Cienfuegos Tf
MS knowledge no effort was made to as.
certain whether the Spanish fleet was
In the harbor at that point, or TO destroy
spanish works there. Nor had there beer