Evening star., 1901-10-08

v
after having done so, as If intending to ram
any of the fleet? A. saw no signs of it.
Q. (by Mr.: Rayner) Did you see any Span
fsh vessel change its course? A. They were
constantly changing their courses. AS far
as l could see they changed their courses to
the westward slowly.
The witness said that the position Of the
Iowa shown on the chart had been very
much discussed and that Commander
Schueltze was not satisfied entirely with any
of the positions.
Lieut.. BristoFs Story.
Lieut.. Mark L.. Bristol watch and divi-
sion officer on board the Texas during the
Spanish war, was called to the stand and
testified to the movements of the Texas
upon and after arrival in front of Glen
fuegos. The arrival in front of the harbor
of CfenfuegOs on the morning of May %. Af-
ter arriving there they saw a small boat Pc
culiar to the Spanish navy, 40 or 80 feet
long, covered with an awning come down
to the entrance of the harbor from inside
He thought the Texas signaled to the flag
ship In regard to the presence of this boat
but the boat turned around and went back
and no shots were fired at her The Texas
had cleared for action upon arrival at
Cienfuegos. He saw nothing done to de-
stroy or to prevent work on earthworks or
fortlhcationS at the entrance to the harbor
The court then took recess until 2
o'clock.
Blockade and Coaling.
At o'clock Lieutenant Bristol resumed
his testimony. He said during the day
time at Cienfuegos the ships were well off
the harbor, the distances varying from five
and six to ten miles. They drifted about
About sundown they formed column and
steamed slowly two or three miles from the
entrance of the harbor, and then put out
to sea to the southward and westward to a
point about eight or ten miles away This
was the plan adopted at night. The wit
ness saw signals at Cienfuegos on shore
one night, and perhaps two nights. He was
there the nights of the 22d and 23d of MAY
These lights were probably ten miles west
of the entrance to Cienfuegos harbor
One day while at Cienfuegos the Texas
got a signal from the Brooklyn to take
coal and the captain sgnaled to the effect
that he believed 1t would be dangerous for
collier to go between two battle ships
By that Captain Philip meant that it was
dangerous for a collier to be so placed in
any kind of weather. -,
He described the taking of coal at San
tiago, and said that while the Texas was
coaling there a wooden camel was placed
between the collier and the ship and the
camel was completely crushed into the col
lier although it did not do material in
jury. This incident was not at all due to
the weather.
The blockade at Santiago, he said. was
formed with the vessels about 500 yards
apart, steaming- as slowly as. they could
and at the same time keep steering way
He was satisfied that the Texas during
this blockade previous to June 1, ran about
four to five-and-a-half knots an hour and
he read from the log book of the vessel the
record of the revolutions of the engines
which showed that the speed was within six
knots. On the 10Th, as recorded in the log
book of the Texas they ran in front of the
harbor and to the side of it for two. hours
which would make the entire run about ten
f;iv,pr
tanned, and that meant from three and one
half to five miles on each side of the en-
trance
He was asked by Mr.. Hanna whether the
Texas had any orders in case the Spanish
squadron should suddenly appear while the
fleet was off Santiago, giving instructions
what should be done in such a contingency
He replied that he had received no such
orders and that if they had come to the
ship he should have received them. The
Marblehead and the Vixen were inside the
blockading column at Santiago. He saw
the engagement of May 81 at a distance of
ten or twelve miles to the southward and
westward of MORO Castle where the Texas
was eoaling. He saw the shots fall short.
ne formed very poor opinion of the i'm
portance OF the batteries The Texas alone
mad engaged the Socapa and had succeeded
In quieting the guns there. This was at a
range OF 1000 to 4,50O yards. During the
blockade at Santiago the fleet was six or
eight miles from the harbor.
observations July g.
The witness told of observations and rec
ords he had made on the morning of .Julv
3, especially of the positions of the Brook
lyn, the Texas and the Iowa.
Lieut.. Bristol described the chase of the
IeXas after the Colon, but did not testify
IN regard to any incident connected with
the loop OF the Brooklyn, as he appeared
10 nave been below deck at that time and
dld not see the turn. He did not see any
OF the spanish ships turn toward the Amer
lean ships as If to ram them.
He described how he had made from his
own recollection a chart showing the posi-
tlons OF the two fleets from the beginning
to the end Of the battle,~and was cross.
questioned closely by Mr.. Rayner in regard
to his statement At $40 O'Clock he was
! still on the stand.
Lieutenant Bristol said that at the close
| of the chase of the Colon the Oregon was
| leading the Brooklyn.
To Command the Prairie.
T,.ry-