New-York tribune., 1901-10-19


4 EVIDENCE OF BROOKLYN'S ENGINEERS.
Captain John l. Hannum then called He
was the chief engineer board the Brooklyn and
| OF the Flying Squadron during the Cuban cam
paign. Captain Hannum's testimony. aside from re-
plies to questions by the court. related entirely 70
! the condition Of the Merrimae on May q and y.
He said that on the forenoon Of the former date
/ Commodore Schley had ordered him 20 - aboard
the collier; having done so. be found her IN
terme6fate valve gear entirely disabled. he had
taken the whole Of this part OF the machinery
aboard the Brooklyn. and he had not been able 10
complete the repeirs until the evening OF the next
day the 18th. While the Merrnac was not en-
tirey helpless. her horsepower was reduced one
third and she was able hobble along at the rate
OF four five knots hour.
The court asked the following questions:
What was the Brooklyn's most economical speed,
and how much coal day did she burn at that
speed while you were her chief engineer?
7 never had an opportunity to test the vessel in
order arrive that. bur her economical speed
I think about ten knots. burning from seventy
10 seventy-hve tons Of coal day.
Were the fires laid ready for lighting Cnder all
boilers not in use by the BROOKLYN on Jdly :! II
not why notT'
I ,hi-k the furnaces we're coaled. an pretty
sure they we're ready to throw shovelfui OF coal
them and start them"
Lieutenan; Thomas F. Garter. passed assistant
engineer. who was in charge OF the machinery OF
the main engines OF the Brooklyn during the san
tiago camDaiC7. called. In reply 10 request
from Mr.. Rayncr. ne made a statement concci ming
the condition II engines OF the Brooklyn on the
morning of battle OF July g. SAYING: The after
mai: engines were rot used The forward I.ain
engines were disconnected from the after ones
and steam was on in three boilers"
Nr. Rayner-Cal you tell what went on IN
the engine rooms during the action with respect to
increasing the speed OF the shIp2
Every effort was made to econonize steam and
get the most power out of il. the most turns cut
q the en=inc. The fres Nere started IN the other
boilers as soon as possible. Forced Graught was
pat Then. Of course it was "a question of how
many turns could get. The steam was working
70 the best advantage % as 10 increase the turns
o: t~e engines. There vas steady Increase in the
number Of the turns Of the engines from The begin
ming 70 the end"
Were the engines at any time stepped. reversed
o. slowed
ENGINES WE'RE NOT STOPPED.
The engines we're rot al any time during the
battle stopped reversed have no recollection
~ their ever having been slowed They certainly
we're not stopped or reversed.
A. Mr Rayne-'s request the witness presented
written memorandum which he had prepared show
ing the speed q the Brooklyn on the day OF the
battle. and indicating a gradual increase from
eleven and half knots 10 fourteen knots an hour.
The memorandum was based on the revolutions Of
The propeller In reply 70 questions By Captain
Lsmly the witness said that ne estimated the en-
tire distance traverse1 between s35 a m. and lbs
p n ~ afty-Jwo knots
NJ RayEer asked the witness - he had received
any encouraging messages in tae battle. and he re
piled that ne had saying. They were all OF general
7urport informing 10 what stage OF the
tion had taken place; for instance that ship had
been sunk. had turned nshore. or two ships were
fire. etc. OF course, they were all enthusiastically
received
II response 20 Captain Lemiy the witness said
THAI some OF the messages We're from Commodore
SChlev. r1.0k av1 or
from Assistant Engineer Ryan.
The court asked the following questions
When were the Ares laid in the boilers that were
not IN use when the battle began the morning OF
July g"
The Two after boilers had no water In them
Those fires we're not la!d until after the battle caU
was sounded but me other boilers In did
have ara laid A. TO when they we've laid d.
not know. but the boilers that had water in them
had their furnaces charged and these without
water were kept lncharged'" %"
MCALLA's REPORT TO sCHLEY
Ensign " p. Cronan who served as signal onlce-
on the Brooklyn was called. Mr. Rayner asked him
whether he remembered a message from the Scor-
p!on % the Brooklyn May y as he was going
from Key West 70 Cienfuegos. The witness Re-
piled:
Ye-. sir. That morning Was on watch on ,he
ships bound for Key West; one of whch was
went over toward this Yacht and communicated
with her. The Scorpion came back and communi-
substance Of this message was tha; the Nashyiiie
vas returning 10 Key Vest broken down that the
tan Channel. and that Captain McCala reported
thai he had seen nothing OF the spaniards at Glen
fuegos-
Who received that nnessage7" asked Mr Rayner.
TO the hest Of my remembrance. the commodore
and hag lieutenant on THE bridge besides my
self"
Relating his experiences on the voyage from
-.
dark and lowering that there difficulty in
sending megaphone message 10 the Castine IL
was" he said. the toughest weather We had had
since had been on the Brooklyn. The ship had
more motion than have her have II was
short heavy head sea
The witness placed the distance OF the blockadinS
line at Santiago at from three and half 10 I'VE
miles from shore. saying that he had been watch
ohcer ana had made close observations. There
were picket boats the inside Of the line
THE BROOKLYH's LOOP.
Mr Cronsn continued his testimony at the AFTER
noon session, relating the details OF the battle OF
July , He described the turn Of the Brooklyn
SAYING that after il began he observed that the
hrst ship appeared 10 be heading directly
ard The Brooklyn, creating the impression that
either she to the Brooklyn or the
Brooklyn to ram her. This contingency. however
averted by both the Brooklyn and the Span
ish ships putting the helm port He said that
the Socapa land battery also fired at the Brook
lyn al that time Just before starting inshore the
Vizcaya made a sudden turn toward the Brooklyn
The witness had seen the Texas before the be-
ginning of the battle. but he had seen the Iowa
which practically on the Brooklyn's starboari
beam He did not see the Texas during the Brook
lyn's
on cross examination Mr.. Hanna asked for de-
scription Of the blockade Of Cienfuegos which Mr.
Cronan gave. He said that a column perpendicular
10 the shore line had been maintained there. and