The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-14

shot from her forward turret at $500
yards range, which proved short, and
then engaged with her port battery.
When about !, 400 yards distant from the
Brooklyn turned to starboard, with her
helm hard aport. and continued so to
turn until she headed to the westward,
parallel to the course of the Spanish
ships.
The Hard a-Port Order.
The commanding officer of the Brook
lyn put the helm hard a-port, and almost
the same instant Commodore Schley gave
the order hard a-port''
When the Brooklyn'S helm was put hard
a-port the Teresa was about 1.400 yards
to the eastward of north from the Brook
lyn, the Vizcaya was to the eastward of
the Teresa, and the Colon was to the.
eastward of the Vizcaya When the
brooklyn completed the turn and was
heading to the. westward, parallel to the
course Of the Vizcaya, the Vizcaya and
the Colon were about q 400 yards to the
northward and westward of the Brook
Ign. The turn Of the Brooklyn was to-
wards the Texas. The Texas stopped and
On July 3, 1898, about the time the
Brooklyn began her turn to starboard, a
conversation regarding the proximity
OF the Texas took place between Com
modore Schley and Lieut.. A. c.. Hodg-
son.
Admiral Schley caused to be published
in a daily newspaper a letter addressed
to him by Lieutenant Commander A. c.
Hodgson, dated June IL, 1899, in which
Lieutenant Commander Hodgson said:
'.The colloquy published in the New
York Sun and alleged to have taken place
between you and me on the day of the
battle off Santiago, July 8, 1898, never oc-
CURED.
Admiral Scllley did not have publish-
ed the other letters of Lieutenant Com
mander Hodgson in regard to this matter.
Beginning of Opinion:
Commodore Sch1ey, in command of the
flying squadron, should have proceeded
with utmost dispatch off Cienfuegos,
and should have maintained close block
ade of that port.
He should have endeavored on May %,
at Cienfuegos, to obtain information re-
garding the Spanish squadron by COM
municating with the insurgents at the
place designated in the memorandum
delivered to him al Sis a. NJ, of that date
He should have proceeded from Glen
fuegos to Santiago de Cuba, with all dis
patch, and should have disposed his ves-
sells with view of interceptipg the en-
envy in any attempt to pass the flying
squadron.
He should not have delayed the squad
ron for the Eagle.
He should have promptly obeyed the
navy departments order of May Is.
He should have endeavored to capture
or destroy the Spanish vessels ait an
Choir off Santiago harbor on May 20 and 30.
He did not do his utmost with the force
under his command to capture or destroy
the Colon, and other vessels of the enemy
which he attacked on May 81.
BrOoklyn's Turn Condemned.
By commencing the enga cement on
July 3, with the port battery and turn
ing the Brooklyn around with port helm,
Commodore Schley. caused her to lose
distance and position with the Spanish
vessels-especially with the Vizcaya and
Colon.
The turn of the Brooklyn to starboard
gerouS proximity to the Spanish vessels.
The turn was made toward the Texas
and caused that vessel to stop and back
her engines to avoid possible collision.
Admiral Schley did injustice to Lieu
tenant Commander A. c. Hodgson in pub
fishing only a portion of the correspond
ence which passed between them.
Commodore Schley's conduct in con-
nection with the events of the Santiago
campaign prior to June l, 1898, was char
acteriZed by vacillation, diiatoriness ana
lack of enterprise.
His official reports regarding the coal
supply and the coaling facilities of tie
flying squadron were inaccurate and nus
leading.
His conduct during the battle of july 3
was Self-poSSeSSed and he encouraged, IN
his own person, his subordinate officers
and men to fight courageously
George Dewey,
Admiral u. s. NJ, President.
Samuel G. Lemly,
Judge Advocate General, U. S. N, Judge
--dvOcate.