The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-26

and one of the marking points we used
in maintaining our position. I looked
over the Starboard side and saw the
enemy coming out of the entrance of
the harbor. / looked eastward to see
the order of the ships. / saw the Texas
apparently a point or more abaft the
starboard beam. The Texas appeared
to me to be heading on some one of the
easterly courses. To the left of her
was the Iowa. The Oregon was to the
eastward of the Iowa. The Indiana
was to the eastward of that position,
ana the Gloucester was lying in under
the land, The New York was out of
sight and out of signal distance with
glasses. I looked for her in order to
determine what my position in the ac-
ton was to be. OF course, if the New
York had not been out of distance I
would not have given or made a sig
nal.
Il had in the meantime gone for
ward on a little platform that I had
had constructed around the battle tow
er as my position in the fight. I had
only been there a moment or two when
Capt. Cook joined me. In the mean
time Mr.. Hodgson, who was on the
upper bridge, sang out something 10
the captain about being connected up
| and ready. He at the same time said
to me, Commodore, they are coming
| right at us WELL 1 said, go right
for them, and the helm was put aport.
The ship was started ahead first at
perhaps half speed. l don't recollect
that. She took her way very quickly
and said to Cook, Hoist the signal,
close in for action Then followed
the signal Close up and the Brooklyn
as well as all the other ships charged
in for the entrance according to the
original plan. We all moved directly
for the head of the column, the idea
being to arrest and knock them to
pieces as they came on.
I'VE continued on our course for ten
or twelve minutes and I saw all the
! ships of our fleet closing in. One thou
| sand yards is the limit of effective
| torpedo range and as we were ap-
preaching about that distance 1 men
toned something Of that sort to Capt.
| Cook, at the same time saying to him,
Much will depend upon this ship to-
| day Cook replied that we would
soon be within the cross-fire of the
| ships. / saw Lieut.. Simpsons first
| shot and then l saw the first vessel in
| the Spanish line take a rank sheer to
| the westward, leaving the Viscaya
coming straight on. Then the latter
! also turned to the westward. 1t was
now apparent that the original plan
of the Spaniards had failed and that
the Spanish fleet, in order and appar>
| emily at distance, had succeeded in
passing the battleship line. A new
| feature of the fight became inme-
diately apparent. Capt. Cook now
gave the order to port the helm
| did not 1 should have done so in a
second. I said to him. is your helm
| aport?" and he replied, 1T is aport' or
hard aport,' I think the latter"
The Celebrated Loop.
Coming to the turn of the Brooklyn
Admiral Schley, speaking clearly and
never hesitating for word, said that
he had never seen a ship turn more
steadily.
THE turn" he said, was absolute
ly continuous; there was no easing of
the helm, and 1 never saw the star
board side of the Texas. 1 am sure
we were never nearer that vessel than
COO yards. We were never across her
bow. She never entered into my head
at all as a menace or danger"
He said the closest range given was
| LOO yards. I'VE were so close" he
went on, that I remember could see
men on the Spanish ships running be-
tween the superstructures; could evel
see the daylight between their legs"
There Was No CoIIoquy.
During the turn Lieut.. Commander
Hodgson very properly made the OBJ
| servation that we should lookout for
| the Texas but there was never any
| colloquy between us-never any COLO
| guy of any character between Hodgson
and myself, first, because he was too
| good an officer to have so trangressed
| and, second, because if he had under
| taken it would not have permitted it.
That is fiction; there was no COLO
guy"
At this point the admiral said the
leading one of the Spanish ships was
on the Brooklyn's starboard bow and
that not only all of the enemys ships,
but the forts as well, were firing ap-
| parently at the Brooklyn.
All Firing on the Brooklyn.
THAT moment and for the next tif-
! teen minutes, were the most serious Of
the combat" said Admiral Schley and
ne told how jets of water were seen on
all hands and how deafening was the
noise of the guns. 1.-The roar of the
| projectiles," he said, was such as can
only be heard once, and once heard
can never be forgotten. All four of
the Spanish vessels were firing on the
Brooklyn, and none of the Spanish
vessels at that time showed any in
| jury. Then the thought passed through
my mind that they might get away.
| and / feared we should have most Of
the fight, as / did not know that the
battleships could keep up their speed.
said to Cook that we would stay
with this crew."
Telling OF the coming up of the Ore
gon during the chase, Admiral Schley
| said he had never before realized that
such rapid fire was possible as was
! emitted from these two vessels. Both
looked to him like sheets OF flames.
When the Maria Teresa went ashore
he had instructed Capt. COOK To notify
the men below and to keep them in
formed Of the progress of
vents. They can't see what
is being done" he said 70 Cook.
and they want TO know. The captain
had obeyed this injunction, and the
messages were received with cheers
| from below.
Describing the going ashore OF the
! Spanish ships IN succession, he said he
1 knew the following American ships
would take care Of them and protect
The Standards against the insurgents,
| and the fire on their own shiDs.
As the battle proceeded al this time
The admiral said he was very anxious
about the range a. he ola not want
| the Teresa and the Niscaya % get be-
| yOnd range. - feared the ships were
/ gaining and asked Ellis, who was very
axpert with the stadimeter and be re-
lolled. after use ~ the instrument
/ fbsf BE- thought We were holding our
own. j thought differently az the time