The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-15
FIRST OF SCHLEl'S
WITNESSES SPEAK.
Continued from First Page.)

Where was the Oregon with respect to
the Brooklyn at that timer
II estimated six hundred yards. She
passed in between the Texas and the
Iowa. She got in between that opening,
came to the northward of the Texas and
came out about eight hundred yards from
us, mean a perpendicular course and
that would account for just what we made
to the southwark in turning. We made
more thanGthe tactical diameter because
we passed part of that distance with
helm half aport."
Brooklyn?
About $50 yards
"Was it easy to handle the ship under
such circumstances?
II never have seen one equal to her"
"Was the starboard engine of the
Brooklyn reversed during that turn"
1T was not. There was some ques-
ton about that? The reason / fell posi-
tive of that is in recalling the circum-
stances. My impression is, it my have
been the Commodore or the navigator, one
of the two, said something about backing
the starboard engine. My reply, l re-
member very we'll, was did not want to
was turning all right and rapidly and I
wanted to keep the speed of the ship"
Eat the time you saw the Oregon COM
starboard?"
''Starboard quarter"
"And between you and the Spanish
ships?"
lover between US and the Spanish
ships
"Where were the Spanish ships at that
time?"
BROOKLYN NEAREST TO TOE.
"rhere never was anything between us
and the Spanish ships. She was on our
starboard quarter"
Nearer in ShOre?
Eyes"
Referring back now TO certain points
in the story as / did not care to inter-
rupt you, YOU state YOU heard the COM
modore say at one time, Hard aport.
That was after you had begun to make
the turn and the helm was hard aport y
Yes, the helm was aport, but not
hard aport. My impression is now, al
though it was not at the time. 1t was
about as near the same time as has been
given. There was perfect understand
ing between the commodore and myself.
Never question of any kind during the
action"
II will Task if your recollection is clear
as to whether the helm was put hard
aport by Yourself first or that you did
it in obedience to an order from the
commodore?"
II gave the order on my own RESPONSE
bility. No question about that 1t was
not after having heard the commodore.
He called out to me as / have stated,
which / now think was simply to con-
firm himself in the idea that she was
turning with a hard aport helm.''
AT that time did you hear any con-
vercation between the Commodore and
the navigator"
II did not
did you see any torpedo boats?''
II did not
NO FEAR OF BEING RAMMED.
Were you afraid of being rammed at
the thine the turn was made?"
mo. There was something said about
it, but did not give it second thought
from the fact that / knew they could
rot ram unless they got within my
turning circle
Were YOU afraid of blanketing the
fire of our eet by turning one way or
the otherh"
I'VE might have done it, by turning
the other way
Had you turned with starboard in
stead of port helm would such action
have advanced you so far as to bring
you within the line of movement of the
enemy's ships1S"
Provided they had taken advantage
of it; that is to say, if they had con-
tinued on their course southwest
straight for us and we had turned so as
to bring them within our turning circle,
it would have made, ramming impos-
sible, certainly"
How We're they heading when the
order hard aport was givenB"
''They were heading southwest
Would they have headed so had you
gone the other way?"
And they discovered the movement?
Yes, think they would. The chart dis
lance given at the time was LOO yards.
I estimated 1900 yards and so made it