The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1901-11-01
OF the captains. viz: Capt. Eulate Of

OF the Captdlns. w.. Ndpt. rulate VI
the Viscaya. and the second in com
mand of the Colon. Commander Con-
treras. | have learned that the Span
ish sdmiral's scheme was to concen-
trate all fire for awhile on the Brook
lyn, and the Niscaya to ram her. in
hopes that if they could destroy her,
the chance of escape would be in
creased, as il WAS supposed she was
the swiftest ship of your squadron.
This explains the heavy fire men
toned, and the Niscaya's aytion in
the early movements of the engage
ment. The execution of this pur-
pose was promptly defeated by the
fact that all the ships of the squadron
advanced into close range and opened
an irresistibly furious and terrific
fire upon the enemy's squadron as IT
was coming out of the harbor.'
Admiral Schley identified this para
graph as a part of his report. The
witness said that before the helm of
the Brooklyn was swung hard a-port
in order to make the loop, the helm
was put alternately to port and to
starboard in order to meet the move
ments of the enemy's ship. 1t was
difficult" he said, lat that time to
say whether they meant TO go be-
tween the Texas and the Brooklyn or
the other way"
You stated in your examination-in-
chief. | believe, that on making the
turn you did not see the starboard
side of the Texas?"
Il did say so absolutely" replied
the witness.
Admiral Schley, in response TO a
question. said he never heard of the
Texas incident until six months after
the battle. He had been under the
impression, until later, that the star
board engine of the Brooklyn was
backed to facilitate the turn. He
recollected distinctly that he warned
Capt. Cook, as the enemy approached.
that they were going to ram him. He
was closely questioned as to the or
der which went below ito stand by
to ram" In answer to a question he
said he supposed the captain had
given the order. He was not certain.
His attention was called to a letter of
June 13, 1900. written from the South
Atlantic station, in which the admiral
was quoted as saying that the turn
was made to avoid the last attempt
of the Nizcaya to ram. but as the let
ter could not be produced at the time
he was not questioned upon it. His
attention was next called to his letter
to the senate, in which he said the
turn WAS made to avoid banketing
the fire of his own ships and also to
his statement in eXamination-in-chi
that he had not turned to port be-
cause TO do so would have brought
the ship into dangerous proximity to
the enemy's vessels and exposed her
to possible torpedo attack or RAM
ming.
Now. said Capt. Lemly, "here ap-
pear 10 be three reasons why YOU
made the turn. Why did you make
that turn?"
AS | already stated in my direct
testimony, there is another very
much more important reason which
you have not asked, and that was
that the ship might continue in the
action and beat the enemy, as we did.
That was the controlling one of ALL"
Have you stated that?' asked
Capt. Lemly, to which Admiral Schlev
replied: Il never stated that because
L thought it was evident. | never
stated il for three or four reasons.
There are several other reasons we
could, perhaps, conjure mp about it.
| have them in mind. | have stated
in relation to the senate document
that the matter was prepared very
hurriedly, and here | have stated the
general purposes, or at least what
the movement was intended to ac-
complish.'
Did YOU have each of these various
reasons in mind at the time?"
Probably all of them and others"
At 2:S p. IN. Judge Advocate Lem
ly announced that he had no further
questions to ask Admiral Schley. Mr..
Raymer stated he had not a single
question TO ask,
Admiral Dewey announced that the
court had some questions to ask.